“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing,
the next best thing is the wrong thing,
and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
Throughout my career, I’ve found myself questioning the decisions of project leads. I remember thinking, “Why in the world would they choose that option? It makes no sense!” At the time, I was quick to critique and slow to understand the bigger picture.
What I failed to realize was this: they made a decision.
Right or wrong, a choice was made, and that’s what mattered most in the moment. It charted a course forward. And in that act of choosing, progress became possible.
The Value of Action
I’ve seen bad decisions derail projects. I’ve watched engineers pour heroic hours into correcting flawed approaches. Refactoring code, rebuilding features, and sometimes even losing valuable team members—these are hard costs of a wrong decision. But even then, the project continued. Teams adapt. They learn and recover.
What’s harder to recover from is indecision.
Doing nothing in the face of a problem can paralyze a team. It creates ambiguity, erodes morale, and stalls momentum. Inaction sends a message: “We don’t know what we’re doing,” and that can be more damaging than any misstep.
The Pitfalls of Decision by Committee
Another danger is decision by committee. In theory, collaborative input sounds great—it empowers the team and builds trust. But in practice, it can be the death of a thousand cuts. Getting everyone to agree is nearly impossible. Discussions drag on. The loudest voice often wins, not the best idea.
While inclusion is important, leadership requires decisiveness. You can’t please everyone, and trying to do so usually pleases no one.
The Case for Structured Decision-Making
While quick decisions can prevent stagnation, they shouldn’t be made recklessly. Good leaders need a structured approach—one that balances speed with thoughtfulness.
Here’s a simple framework that can help guide decision-making:
- Options – Identify all your choices. (Tip: Doing nothing is also a choice—just not always a good one.)
- Visualize – Consider possible outcomes. What could go right? What might go wrong?
- Forecast – Evaluate the likelihood of each outcome. How probable is success or failure?
- Choose – Assess which option offers the greatest overall value and commit to it.
This process doesn’t guarantee perfection, but it increases your odds of making a sound decision. And if you’re wrong, at least you’ll have something to learn from—and a path to adjust.
Choose to Decide
Decision-making isn’t easy. It takes courage, intelligence, and often a leap of faith. No one gets it right all the time. But the willingness to decide—to take action in the face of uncertainty—is what separates progress from paralysis.
So the next time you’re staring down a tough call, remember Roosevelt’s words. Don’t let fear of being wrong keep you from moving forward. Use a process, trust your instincts, and make the best decision you can with the information you have.
Because even a wrong decision is better than no decision at all.