INTHEBLACK December 2025 / January 2026 - Magazine - Page 43
“If it is a decision that could impact billions
of dollars, you need to be confident that if
it is ever tested or audited, you can say, ‘Yes, the
thinking behind this was thorough’.”
Third, engage stakeholders. Even under pressure,
don’t decide alone.
“Think about who the stakeholders are and find
a way to understand how the decision impacts
them — maybe even include them in the decision
process,” Gordon advises.
Finally, look at tangible and intangible values.
Not every outcome shows up in a spreadsheet.
“Every decision has trade-offs in both intangible
and tangible outcomes,” he says, giving the examples
of time, culture and energy.
The goal, she says, is to understand how the
decision was made. The questions to ask include
“Did we use the process? Did we connect with
the right people? Did we influence the right people?
Did we have the right information at the time?”
Going back and interrogating the steps of
decision-making is as important to the learning
as getting the decision right, Fraillon says. It is how
leaders and aspiring leaders learn, grow and
avoid making the same mistake twice. ●
REFLECT ON PAST DECISIONS
Great decision-makers do not just move on once
a choice is made — they go back and examine it.
“Good decision-makers go back and interrogate
the decision,” says Fraillon. “Whether it was a good
decision and everything went really well, or it was
a bad decision and things went pear shaped.”
UPSKILL
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Brent Szalay FCPA
Managing Director, SEVIA
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