"Making the call is just the start"

In yesterday’s email, I said that when collaboration fails,
someone has to make the call.

But if you’ve ever done that, you’ll know:
​it doesn’t end there.

Because the moment you decide,
the pushback begins.

People who didn’t get their way will keep circling back.
They’ll ask again,
raise doubts,
float “just one more question.”

They’re not being difficult.
They’re still hoping the decision might shift.

And here’s the trap:

If you revisit the decision every time someone feels uncomfortable,
you don’t have a decision, you have a negotiation in slow motion.

That’s why leadership isn’t just about making the call.
It’s about standing behind it, without shutting people down.

And the way to do that?
Be crystal clear on the decision criteria.

If someone brings something new, something outside the original criteria,
it’s fair game. Reopen the conversation.

But if it’s already been considered,
you can say:

“We heard that perspective. It mattered.
But it didn’t shift the core criteria. So the decision stands.”

That’s not arrogance.
That’s clarity.
And it’s what gives your team confidence to move forward.

Where might you need to be clearer, not just on the decision,
but on what would make you change your mind?

Until next time,
Dermot
​The Messy Middle

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