· Letter

LBW: Your Indecision Is Costing You (More Than You Think)

Sid Jashnani, CEO of Outgrow and Outgrow Certified Advisor

That decision you're avoiding? It's getting expensive.

Originally published on Substack (opens in a new tab). Subscribe (opens in a new tab) for the next letter.

Ever watched a leader take 3 months to make a 3-minute decision?

I have. Multiple times. (I was that leader once).

The Discussion Trap

Here’s what I see in almost every leadership team meeting:

An issue comes up. Everyone jumps straight to discussing it:

  • “We should look into...”

  • “Maybe we could try...”

  • “What if we considered...”

45 minutes later, nobody has actually identified what the real issue is and they’ve probably gone off tangent by now.

Why? Because identifying the real issue often reveals an uncomfortable truth that requires a tough decision. And tough decisions are, well... tough.

Real Talk

Last month, I watched a tech company CEO spend 6 weeks “discussing” an underperforming sales manager. Meeting after meeting. Report after report.

The actual issue? The CEO knew this person needed to go but was afraid of making the call. He was hoping that the issue would solve itself.

Cost of all that “discussion”? $42,000 in salary for subpar work, plus a demoralised team watching their leader avoid the obvious.

Breaking The Cycle

Want to know if you’re stuck in the discussion trap? Watch out for these phrases:

  • “Let’s take this offline” (Translation: Never)

  • “We need more data” (Translation: I’m scared to decide)

  • “Let’s circle back next week” (Translation: Hope everyone forgets)

If you genuinely need more information or a dedicated discussion, then make a real decision right now: Get that meeting on the calendar. Be specific about who’s bringing what data. Then come back next week ready to move forward with a clear plan.

The 24 Hour Rule

Try this: Any issue that lands on your desk gets 24 hours. Within that time, you must:

  • Name the real issue (not the symptom)

  • Make a decision - can be just the next step.

  • Take action

Yes, even the tough ones. Especially the tough ones.

Will you make mistakes? Sure.

Will they cost less than weeks of indecision? Almost always.

Your Challenge This Week

Pick that one issue you’ve been “discussing” for weeks.

You know the one. Name it. Decide. Act.

Do it before this time tomorrow.

Then email me and tell me how it felt.

Until next week,

Sid

P.S. Fun fact: I spent 20 minutes debating whether this P.S. was funny enough to include. The irony is not lost on me.

Know a leader stuck in the discussion loop? Forward this their way. Their team will thank you.

Originally published on Substack (opens in a new tab). Subscribe (opens in a new tab) for the next letter.

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