It has already been established that in today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world, the ability to make sound decisions and solve problems effectively is the hallmark of successful leadership. These skills not only steer individuals or organisations toward growth but also build trust and foster resilience within you and your teams. Therefore, decision-making and problem-solving require a careful balance of analytical thinking, teamwork, emotional intelligence, resilience and creativity. Successful leaders use these tools to navigate challenges and drive progress, often drawing from real-life experiences that shape their approach.
The Art of Decision-Making in Leadership with Intuition
Undoubtedly, decision-making is at the heart of leadership. There is the need for leaders to think through the processes that are required to arrive at the results everyone can see and relate to more holistically, as such ultimately trickles down to the leader’s success or otherwise. These processes involve selecting the best course of action from multiple alternatives, often with limited time and incomplete information as the cases may appear. Great leaders can make decisions that not only address immediate concerns but also align with their long-term goals and those of their organisations.
A fascinating real-life illustration of this is drawn from Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo. It should be recalled that early in her tenure, Nooyi made the bold decision to shift PepsiCo’s focus from its traditionally known sugary drinks and snacks to healthier products. Although this move would have been perceived as a risky move, seeing the company had long been associated with junk foods, she saw the growing trend toward health consciousness all over the world. Obviously, Nooyi’s decision was data-driven but was also painstakingly guided by her strong intuition that consumers’ habits were (and still are) rapidly shifting. Her decision paid off in the long term, as PepsiCo became a leader in offering healthier food and beverage options, securing its place in a changing market.
You would agree with me that Nooyi’s experience highlights the importance of anticipating future trends and aligning decisions with both immediate needs and long-term visions. Her success as a decision-maker and successful leader stems from her ability to utilise the fundamentals of incorporating intuition, which also demonstrates the ability to listen to diverse perspectives, as she often sought input from her team before making major choices that would ultimately rob down on the organisation positively.
Problem-Solving: A Leadership Imperative of Resilience and Risk-Taking
Likewise, problem-solving is another critical skill that distinguishes successful leaders. It comprises identifying the root cause of challenges and offering practical solutions. A great leader approaches problems meticulously and maturely without expressing unnecessary sentiments or letting unhealthy emotions becloud his or her sense of judgement, and also, creatively find the most effective path forward. I will delve deeper into this in the next editions where I’d explore the “Techniques for Effective Decision-Making, Handling Crises, and Making Tough Calls in Successful Leadership,” especially as it cuts across our immediate environment, like how typical Nigerian leaders do. Permit me to register a wink or a smile at this point.
Remarkably, a notable example of problem-solving comes from Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX. Recall that in 2008, SpaceX was on the brink of failure after three consecutive failed rocket launches. The company was facing a financial crisis, and it was discovered that Musk had to choose between saving Tesla, another company he founded, or SpaceX, as he couldn’t afford to fund both collectively. Musk’s problem-solving approach was to take an extraordinary risk. He decided to split his remaining personal funds between the two companies and aggressively pursue a final launch with SpaceX. What I will call a risky gamble paid off as the fourth launch was a huge success, and SpaceX secured a contract with NASA shortly afterwards, saving the company from collapse.
Musk’s experience illustrates how creative problem-solving – alongside resilience – can turn a dire situation into a triumph. His ability to remain calm, assess risks, and think outside the box was key to solving a seemingly insurmountable problem.
The Place of Balancing Data and Intuition
We all know that, more often than not, successful leaders face decisions where there are usually no foreseen perfect answers or where the information available is incomplete, but they must come up with immediate answers to perhaps long-term issues or conditions. In such cases, leaders must balance data with their intuition.
Another excellent example is Jeff Bezos, founder of the world-acclaimed organisation called Amazon, who is known for making data-driven decisions but also trusting in his instincts. At a point, Bezos famously decided to expand Amazon beyond a platform for selling books and into other retail categories based on his intuition that the company could revolutionise the e-commerce world.
If you remember, Bezos’ decision to invest in cloud computing (Amazon Web Services) was also initially met with scepticism, but he trusted his vision and intuition alongside the data of where the internet was/is heading. Today, AWS is one of the company’s most profitable divisions, showcasing that sometimes, a leader’s gut or feeling is just as important as cold and hard facts.
Empowering Teams in Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Through Inclusiveness
One of the key traits of successful leaders is their ability to empower teams of those who look up to them to make the right decisions and solve problems encountered from time to time. Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, as research shows, is known for promoting a culture of inclusiveness and collaboration, to say the least.
When Nadella took over from Steve Ballmer in 2014, Microsoft was seen as rigid and resistant to change. Nadella has then transformed the company by encouraging employees to experiment, learn from failures, and contribute their ideas. This approach fostered innovation and helped (and is still helping) Microsoft regain its competitive edge in the technology industry.
Leaders like Nadella show that empowering teams in the organisations they represent not only leads to better decision-making and problem-solving but also builds a culture of trust, inclusiveness, ownership, and innovation. And, by encouraging collaboration, leaders would surely create an environment where employees feel valued and motivated to contribute more to the organisation’s success they represent now and again.
Conclusion
It has been recognised that critical decision-making and problem-solving are fundamentally two of the major skills required for any leader aiming for success. Through real-life illustrations, we see how leaders like Indra Nooyi, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Satya Nadella have navigated complex challenges and have made bold decisions that transformed their organisations. Their experiences underscore the importance of combining data-driven analysis with intuition while fostering resilience and empowering teams to contribute to solutions that rule today’s world.
According to John C. Maxwell, “Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another”. At the same time, Brian Tracy encourages us to “Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily, even if you had no title or position.”
In the end, successful leadership is not just about carrying the title, making the right choices, winning awards and celebrating more gains, but most importantly, it is about creating an environment where others can succeed and grow through concerted problem-solving and decision-making efforts.
Let’s live and let us love one another. #OneLove
•I hope this piece was worth your read. Feel free to send your thoughts to me via the comment section or my email address (vivianchikadaniel@gmail.com) as well as LIKE and SHARE with your networks and loved ones. Ensure you don’t miss a moment in the next editions. Remain blessed.
