Happy heuristics: Shock-resistant leader routines and rules of thumb for a complex world.
Control freaks
Dec 6, 2021
Hosts Jamie and Jeff explore decision-making heuristics vital for effective leadership. They discuss the importance of making decisions closest to the action and how frontline experience enhances outcomes. The contrast between surveys and genuine decision authority highlights empowering employees. Listeners learn about the significance of strategic intent over rigid plans while recognizing when centralized control is essential. The session encourages adopting these heuristics to navigate complexity and improve leadership effectiveness.
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Decide Closest To The Activity
- Push decisions as close as possible to the activity they affect so local actors can leverage direct experience.
- This increases speed and uses folks' empirical knowledge to avoid predictable mistakes.
Value Tacit Front-Line Knowledge
- Front-line workers accumulate tacit heuristics from repeated, real-world interactions that formal rules miss.
- Relying on that empirical knowledge often yields better context-aware decisions than central theory.
Require Competence Before Delegating
- Ensure workforce stability and sufficient on-the-job time before handing over decision authority.
- Ask "How long to become competent at this job?" to judge readiness for local decision-making.
