“Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies…“Please test your servants for ten days…”” Daniel 1:6, 8, 12 NKJV
In every gathering, there is someone with the strongest opinion and others with weaker opinions. Scripture doesn’t record who had the weakest, but it is obvious that Daniel had the strongest opinion.
The person with the strongest opinion always influences and leads others to a decision. Even if the other three boys in the focus scripture were partially on the fence, Daniel’s stance gave them the courage to take a stand as well. They followed him because their opinions aligned.
If you are the leader, then perhaps you’re the one with the strongest opinion. What does this mean? Your final decisions can influence the lives of those you lead. And as a workaholic, there is every tendency that it won’t go down well with many.
Studies suggest that presenting the strongest argument first can make a strong impression and increase the likelihood of persuading others. Not all leaders are the first to speak, but in most cases, what you say influences the direction of thought and action.
How can you ensure that your decisions are not going to harm those you lead, especially when you need people to consistently “jump off a cliff” for you?
You can’t because there is no foolproof way to ensure that your decisions will not harm others. But you can minimise risk. How?
- Get the opinions of everyone. Scripture doesn’t record this, but Daniel and his three friends must have had a roundtable discussion because verse 14 confirms that the Steward agreed to their decision, not just Daniel’s decision. There’s a difference.
- Consider the implications of your decision. Every decision has a consequence and Daniel knew this in verse 13. Also, consider the consequences outside of work.
- Take responsibility for your actions. You already know this, but I have seen workaholic leaders who find a sneaky way to blame someone else for a tiny element that contributed to revealing that the initial decision was a bad one from the start.
Leading is difficult and I’m still trying to figure it out, but I know that living with the fear of making a wrong decision will lead to no decisions, which is also bad. I hope the tips above will help you on your journey.
Today’s Task: You have a ton of decisions to make today. Don’t make them in isolation from the opinions of those you lead.
Know a leader who is looking to change how he makes decisions? Share this with them.
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