LILR 108 | Sean Morgan on One Thing You’re Getting Wrong When Making Decisions
Jun 4, 2024
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Sean Morgan, a leader in relational development and former Executive Pastor, shares innovative decision-making strategies tailored for level-five leaders. He emphasizes the importance of probing deeper into the decision-making process to reveal root causes, fostering a culture of growth. Morgan also discusses the complexities of organizational dynamics, highlighting how leaders can navigate change management effectively. His insights promise to equip leaders with techniques that drive momentum and transformation within their teams.
Effective decision-making requires leaders to ask 'why' to uncover deeper insights rather than settling for superficial solutions.
Understanding organizations as complex systems encourages leaders to frame decisions in ways that foster long-term growth and resilience.
Deep dives
The Connection Between Decision-Making and Organizational Momentum
Effective leadership is closely linked to how decision-making is approached within an organization, particularly concerning its progress or stagnation. Leaders often find that churches, for example, either have significant momentum or remain stuck, indicating a binary outcome influenced by their decision-making strategies. Poor decision-making processes, such as superficial hiring approaches, may lead to recurring issues like onboarding difficulties and staff turnover, which ultimately hampers organizational progress. Therefore, understanding and improving decision-making can serve as a catalyst for fostering lasting momentum and growth within the team.
The Impact of Asking 'Why' on Leadership Decisions
Leaders can significantly enhance their decision-making effectiveness by asking 'why' rather than simply identifying 'what' the problems are. This approach encourages deeper analysis of situations, prompting leaders and their teams to explore the foundational causes of issues rather than merely addressing surface-level symptoms. For instance, dig deeper by examining whether problems are due to luck, systemic issues, or missed training opportunities, which can lead to a more comprehensive understanding and help prevent future recurrences. By fostering a culture of inquiry, leaders can cultivate a more informed decision-making process that articulates the organization’s values and strengthens momentum.
Viewing Organizations as Complex Systems
Recognizing that organizations function as complex systems can transform how leaders approach decision-making. Each decision has implications that reverberate through various subsystems, influencing organizational culture and effectiveness over time. Leaders must shift their perspective from merely solving problems to redefining their organizational identity through every choice they make, ultimately contributing to collective growth and success. By framing decisions within this systemic understanding, leaders can avoid the pitfalls of myopic thinking and create a more resilient and adaptable organization.
Your systems of decision-making have the potential to bring greater clarity to who you are and how you do things. Today, Sean Morgan discusses how level-five leaders frame each decision with a silver-bullet technique, and how it can lead toward momentum every time.
Welcome to Episode 108 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.
If you’re a leader approaching a succession or transition. Or maybe you’re a few years in and beginning to see how complex transitions leadership is… go to The Art of Pastoral Succession and check out my brand new course in partnership with Carey Nieuwhof.
Sean started out in ministry serving in a San Francisco area church plant as their Executive Pastor. He went on to help coach and consult with church leaders across the country and eventually founded The Ascent Leader, a first of its kind organization focusing on relational leadership development for local church pastors.
He also hosts the Leaders In Living Rooms podcast.
Sean recently retired from a 26-year career as a KC-10 pilot in the US Air Force Reserve.
His favorite titles are “Stacy’s husband” and “Kaylee and Ayden’s dad.”
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Thanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry. Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.
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