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The Discipline of Deciding
Why Leadership Requires You to Choose Before It’s Comfortable
Ikechukwu Okoh
July 07, 2025
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Choosing When Others Are Still Thinking.
A few years ago, I was faced with two strategic options:
One was bold and risky.
The other was safe, comfortable, and predictable.
I kept researching.
I asked more people.
I built more scenarios.
And then, one day, a senior advisor said:
“Ikechukwu, you’re not waiting for more clarity. You’re waiting for certainty. And in leadership, that moment rarely comes.”
That truth hit me hard, and it changed me.
I made the bold decision.
It wasn’t perfect.
However, it moved the mission forward quickly.
That’s when I realised:
Leadership is about choosing when others are still thinking.
Not recklessly but courageously.
How Great Leaders Make Decisions in Uncertainty
Leadership isn’t just about knowing.
It’s about choosing before the knowing is complete.
Below is a breakdown of how to lead through the discomfort of decision-making:
The 3 Types of Decision Traps
1. The Certainty Trap
You wait too long for full information.
Solution: Decide with 70% clarity, then course-correct.
2. The Consensus Trap
You delay to avoid disagreement.
Solution: Gather input, then own the final call.
3. The Comparison Trap
You overanalyse other leaders’ decisions.
Solution: Context matters more than copying.
The Decision Discipline Framework (DDF)
Use this 4-step model in your next tough call:
1. Clarify the Real Risk
What’s the actual downside, and what’s fear?
2. Define the Timeframe
When do you need to decide?
3. Consult for Perspective, Not Permission
Ask smart people, but don’t outsource your gut.
4. Commit Publicly
Announce it clearly. Energy follows clarity.
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Ikechukwu’s Journal
This week, I spoke to a young founder who had been stuck on a product pivot for 3 months.
He had data, feedback, and intuition but no decision to make.
I shared this:
“Progress is a result of decisions, not perfection.”
Two days later, he moved.
His energy shifted.
The team followed.
As a leader, your indecision is a message.
And so is your courage.
What to do this week:
Name one decision you’ve been postponing
Write down the risk, the benefit, and the best next step
Choose. Commit. Communicate.
Tag a leader who helped you move forward when you were stuck.
Or forward this to someone still overthinking their next move.
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Ikechukwu Okoh
Founder of Leadership Pulse
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