I believe there has been a major shift in the culture that drives and supports everyday business decision-making.
The big old pile of nasty issues that have presented to business professionals during the past 5 years have included the pandemic, all of the geopolitical issues, the economic issues, the global warming issues, and the evolution of defining “what is work” has created a business environment where developing new skills and learning capabilities through traditional trial and error, curiosity, exploration, and learning from mistakes has been replaced by making decisions with intention. And most of the time intention without a lot of runway for errors.
To support this opening statement, let me explain by sharing a recent quote from a senior-level talent development professional who shared some insights into her mindset when discussing the implementation of a simulation-centric business acumen learning program for a group of high-potential leaders.
“Last year, I was much more okay with the teams exploring and shooting darts to figure out the connections between their decisions and outcomes, but everything has changed. We are now creating a culture of intention meaning they need to make intentional decisions and own them. Their current challenge is that they don’t have the ability or tools to understand how to pull the levers with intention. They don’t understand the impacts or what is driving the impacts.”
Wow. Talk about a radical shift in approach to learning and talent development. I trust this client immensely and have found her on the leading edge of change so I take what she shares very seriously.
And of course, that got me thinking. What does “decision-making with intention” really mean and how can it be made practical? In conducting research and speaking with several clients who have diverse perspectives, I was able to determine three common approaches that leaders should take when leading with intention.
Here are the three things leaders should do when trying to lead with intention:
Align All Decisions with Your Strategy, Goals, and Values
Why it matters
Decisions grounded in your business's core strategy, values, and long-term goals ensure consistency and build trust with stakeholders internally and externally. You have a clear intention to just focus on executing the strategy well.
How to do it
- Clearly define your value proposition to customers with your business goals and how you are going to win.
- Evaluate whether the decisions you are making support the vision or compromise your values.
- Use a decision-making framework, like setting criteria or asking, "Does this advance our strategic priorities?"
Gather and Analyze Data Thoughtfully
Why it matters
Intentional decisions are well-informed and reduce the risks associated with guesswork. In other words, don’t throw darts at it. Have a plan, have data, have intention, and stick with it.
How to do it
- Gather both quantitative data such as financial reports and projections, market trends, voice of customer data, and qualitative insights such as customer feedback and anecdotal information.
- Check out and understand both the “weak signals” and strong signals of the market and consider multiple perspectives to avoid blind spots.
- Use decision matrices such as Return on Investment (ROI) analysis, net present value (NPV) techniques, or cost-benefit analyses to weigh options objectively.
Consider the Long-Term Impacts on Key Metrics like Total Shareholder Return (TSR)
Why it matters
Short-term gains can sometimes lead to unintended negative consequences in the future. In the simulation exercises, participants have to learn about how to manage the short-term and long-term at the same time. This is a critical real-world capability when making decisions with intent.
How to do it
- Think beyond immediate outcomes; assess the potential ripple effects of your decision.
- Plan for scalability and sustainability—ask if this decision supports growth and adapts to future changes.
- Manage and work with all stakeholders who may be impacted to ensure alignment and buy-in.
In summary, more and more organizations are going to demand leaders make their decisions with intent. The skills and tools to do that well are challenging and complex. There are several easy steps to take that will start the process of building those skills which will yield much better long-term results.