Green light, go. Red light, stop. Yellow light, a choice to make, do you stay or do you go? 

Many years ago, at a terribly designed intersection, I chose to make my left hand turn on a stale yellow light. Out of nowhere another car came barreling down the hill at an excessive speed. The car slammed into mine, twirling me across the lanes and into a light post. Clearly I walked away in one piece, however that decision to make that turn has impacted my driving decisions to this day. 

I no longer circle a block just to avoid making a left, but all these years later I conciously wait and take caution, I only go when I’m positive it’s safe, rather than risk it and save a few minutes during my commute. 

It’s the moments in time when we have to make a choice that shapes our future. Yes or no. Do or don’t. Stay or go. 

While some choices seem less life changing at the point of decision making, each holds the potential for long term impact. We weigh the right vs. wrong, the positives vs. the negative and use our gut to make a judgment call. Some determinations must be made in a split second, while others allow us to carefully weigh the options. 

As a leader it is your responsibility to make the best choice most of the time. For experienced leaders there are many historical commonalities that decisions can be affected by. Our previous moments in time allow for educational split second decisions to be made confidently. Leaders that are newer to the role must take the time to consciously weigh the options, use their training and lean on more experienced, tenured peers to formulate the proper resolution. 

No matter the length of time in leadership, any big decision deserves the investment of thought, time, and the acknowledgment of potential consequences.

How as leaders, both tenured and fresh, do you make the best choices?

Learn From the Past: But do not let it control the future. While I proceed with caution, I will turn left on a yellow, but only when I know I am completely safe. While the choices from our past have either worked or didn’t, they have formed our gut responses. Do not let them make you neurotic or overly cautious (or confident) as while some situations are similar, none are mirror images. Use what you know and allow it to help, but not make your current decisions. When lacking years of professional experience use the situations from personal life, or from when you were on the other side of a management role to help lead you to the right decision. 

Choose For Present: Today is different from yesterday. And tomorrow promises to have changed. Short of possessing a crystal ball, no one can guarantee that the success you have today will carry into the future. Make decisions based on the factors in front of you. Use what you know, but allow that to adapt to suit the current situation or let it go if it no longer applies. We are who we are because of the choices we made yesterday, however our past does not predict our future, it only guides it. I have made many successful left hand turns since that horrific day. 

Plan For the Future: Without the superpower of being able to see the future, or change the past, the most beneficial thing leaders can do is take into consideration how today’s choices may impact tomorrow. Play the what-if game. Talk to those who have been in a similar predicament. Make an educated choice that you can defend if needed. Noone should ever fault you for doing the right thing for the right reason. 

Our lives, both personal and professional, are fluid. They are diverted by obstacles, changed by choices, motivated by wins, and hindered by fear and regret.

Let the moments in time that taught you a lesson assist in navigation, but do not allow them to define your future.