00:07 | Welcome to the Balanced Leader Podcast, where we tackle the ultimate challenge for leaders, achieving peak performance without sacrificing your well-being.
00:16 | If you’re ready to lead with clarity, energy and impact without burning out, then you’re in the right place.
00:22 | I’m Rob Hills, your leadership and wellbeing coach, and in each episode, I’ll give you the insights, tools and strategies that will enable you to thrive.
00:31 | So without further ado, let’s dive into today’s episode.
00:39 | Today we’re talking about something I think every leader wrestles with. It’s decision-making.
00:45 | More specifically, why do some of us spend way too long trying to make the right decision and others can make decisions very quickly?
00:54 | For some of us, decision-making feels like an Olympic sport.
00:58 | You do the research, you weigh the options, you check in with the team, you double-check with the team, and yet you’re still not sure.
01:07 | If that sounds familiar, then you’re not alone.
01:10 | And today, I want to introduce you to two personality styles that are at either end of the decision-making spectrum.
01:17 | We have maximizers and satisfies.
01:21 | We’re going to unpack what they are, how they play out in leadership, and how understanding your own style might just save you from burning out over every fork in the road.
01:32 | So let me start with a little story. It’s about someone I definitely don’t know personally. Let’s call her Rachel.
01:38 | Rachel is a senior leader in government department. She’s smart, driven, thoughtful. She’s asked to write a short internal email announcing a change in team structure.
01:48 | Nothing massive, just a heads up for the team. So Rachel drafts the email, then she tweaks it. Then she wonders if realignment sounds too cold.
01:59 | She changes it to evolving roles and then wonder if that sounds too fluffy.
02:05 | She runs it by a colleague and then sleeps on it.
02:08 | The next day she rewrites it.
02:10 | She considers if a video actually might be a better way to communicate this.
02:14 | And then she ponders it for another day. Three days later, still no email.
02:19 | Meanwhile, her team’s already buzzing with rumors because they saw something on the org chart change and they’ve got a little hint that something might be happening.
02:27 | Now, does Rachel lack intelligence? No, not at all.
02:30 | Does she lack care? Absolutely not.
02:34 | What she struggled with was the need to get it exactly right.
02:38 | Does this sound familiar?
02:40 | And by the way, Rachel is actually me. You see, I’m a card-carrying member of the Maximizer clan.
02:47 | And for me, it makes even the smallest decision real hard work.
02:51 | What are maximizers and satisfiesers, I hear you ask? Let me explain.
02:56 | These terms are actually from a concept developed by psychologist Barry Schwartz.
03:00 | Maximizers are people who want to make the best possible decision.
03:05 | They research, compare, analyse, revisit, seek input, worry about regret, worry about FOMO, and usually end up exhausted by the end of the process.
03:15 | Even after they choose, they often wonder, did I make the right decision?
03:20 | Satisfices, on the other hand, just go for good enough.
03:24 | They have a standard, and once that standard is met, they’re done.
03:28 | They don’t need the best.
03:29 | They just need a good decision.
03:31 | They move on with their day.
03:32 | They sleep better.
03:34 | Now, here’s the twist that annoys me so much.
03:38 | Research shows that satisfices are often happier with their decisions than maximizers.
03:44 | How is this even possible?
03:46 | Even if their decisions are technically less optimal, even if they made it on a whim.
03:52 | Why?
03:53 | Because satisfaction isn’t just about the result.
03:56 | It’s about the experience of choosing.
03:59 | Now let’s zoom out for a second.
04:01 | What does this mean for us as leaders?
04:03 | Well, leadership is full of uncertainty.
04:06 | I realise this is not a news flash to anyone listening to this podcast, but there is really a perfect option.
04:13 | There’s really complete information, and there is always risk to your people, to your results, and to you personally and professionally as well.
04:22 | So if you’re wired like me, a Maximizer, your instinct might be to over-research, over-analyse, and delay in the name of getting it just right.
04:33 | And in doing so, you risk what I like to call decision fatigue by excellence.
04:38 | You drain your energy, you slow your momentum, and ironically, make poorer decisions because you’re mentally fried.
04:47 | This is where I call on a quote by economist Thomas Sowell that has made an enormous difference in my life.
04:53 | There are no solutions, only trade-offs.
04:57 | Let me say that again.
04:58 | There are no solutions, only trade-offs.
05:02 | That’s a game-changing lens because it reminds us we’re not searching for perfection.
05:07 | We’re weighing what each of the trade-offs may be and how they may impact us.
05:12 | Every single decision we make will have an upside, but it will also have a downside as well.
05:18 | So that means there are no perfect decisions.
05:21 | Now, this next example hits a little too close to home for me, but I think it illustrates the point perfectly.
05:27 | Imagine you’re starving.
05:29 | You walk into a giant food court with like 27 different options.
05:33 | There’s Thai, sushi, burgers, burritos, poke bowls.
05:36 | And you walk around.
05:38 | You do a lap.
05:39 | And then another lap.
05:40 | Then you check Google Reviews.
05:42 | Then you text your partner.
05:44 | What do you think you would get?
05:45 | 20 minutes later, you’re hangry, overwhelmed, and eating a sad packet of mixed nuts you found in the bottom of your bag.
05:52 | Welcome to my world.
05:53 | That’s the maximizer brain at work.
05:55 | Now, imagine you walk in, you spot your go-to Indian place, and you think, that’ll hit the spot.
06:01 | You order your butt of chicken, you sit down, and you enjoy your lunch while the maximizer is still debating tacos versus ramen.
06:07 | That’s the satisficer brain.
06:09 | The satisficer will generally be pretty happy with their meal and just move on with their day.
06:14 | The maximizer will probably get food envy and still be thinking about their choice for the rest of the day.
06:21 | And this is why satisficers are generally happier with their decisions.
06:26 | So how do we apply this as leaders?
06:28 | Here are a few ideas.
06:30 | First of all, know your style.
06:32 | This is about awareness.
06:33 | Are you a maximizer or a satisficer?
06:36 | Just noticing can be really powerful and it may help to start unravel your decision-making process.
06:42 | The next one is to name the trade-offs.
06:45 | Instead of asking, what’s the right decision, ask, what’s the trade-off that I’m willing to accept?
06:51 | The third one is a little counterintuitive, perhaps, but it’s limit your options.
06:56 | If you have too many choices, it makes things really hard.
06:60 | But if you pick, say, your top three and you force yourself to choose from just those three, it makes things easier.
07:06 | Constraints are your friend.
07:08 | And lastly, decide and commit.
07:11 | Once you choose, shut the door behind you.
07:13 | Avoid second-guessing your decisions.
07:16 | For all of you who are identifying as maximizers, I can attest that becoming more of a satisficer isn’t easy.
07:23 | I’m a work in progress myself.
07:26 | But just the awareness of what’s happening and why it’s happening can help you start jumping in and making quicker decisions.
07:33 | And finally, maybe reflect on this quote a little bit, which I wish I could give credit to, but I can’t find the original source.
07:39 | It says, the happiest people aren’t the ones with the most options.
07:43 | They’re the ones who stop questioning their choices.
07:47 | So here’s my challenge to you this week.
07:50 | Think about a decision you’ve been sitting on, big or small, and ask yourself, am I trying to be perfect?
07:56 | What trade-offs would I be willing to accept?
07:59 | And what does good enough look like in this situation?
08:03 | Remember, you didn’t get into leadership to obsess over wording or little inconsequential decisions.
08:10 | You’re here to move things forward and make an impact.
08:13 | Trust your experience.
08:15 | Trust your gut.
08:17 | And when you’re in doubt, pick the butter chicken.
08:21 | That’s it for this week’s episode of the Balanced Leader podcast.
08:24 | If this resonated with you, share it with a friend or someone who you know may get stuck a little bit with that analysis paralysis.
08:32 | Don’t overthink this part.
08:33 | This is the easy part.
08:34 | This is an easy decision.
08:36 | Enjoy your day and I look forward to speaking with you next time.