Why are you asking Questions instead of giving me Answers?! In Pictures, we don’t Trust.
It happens all the time. You get so much feedback, you discover so many options, the product could have so many different functions, and the customers have so many different needs. But you are constrained financially, and in time and resources, and you are still building. What should you choose? What do you really need for an MVP?
You just want someone to tell you what you need to pick. Or what you don’t need. But, the thing is, deciding is your job.
You’re the founder or the CEO or both. It is your job to make these decisions. It is your job to figure out which is the option out of all available that will bring the best results, the fastest.
The job isn’t just to dream a big dream and articulate a grand vision. It is also to figure out the broad outlines of how to get there, and when the business is at forking roads decide which one will be taken. Everything else can be done by others. But this job of deciding the big, consequential questions – that’s yours. If that makes you feel uncomfortable? You will struggle.
When you are at the top, no one can tell you which way to go.
There is no one else who can pick the right road. If there is, perhaps they should be the ones who have the top executive job. And yes, that also means that if the road you chose wasn’t the right one, you will have to backtrack and choose another; and if that is not possible, you will be the one to bear responsibility.
I know many people think they want the top job, but when they are put in the position they find it hard to make a decision. Or they just make decisions without thinking things through, which is just as bad. Pivoting is one thing, jumping around chaotically is another.
Yes, it is a cliche but it is true, and at times it is crushing, but it is lonely at the top because it is YOUR responsibility to pick the road and pick right.
You can’t complain that advisors aren’t giving you the answer, that they aren’t telling you what to do. It’s not their job to make the decisions.
Of course, there is help around and you should take it. You should take advice and soundings before you make any big decisions. Without a doubt.
Take advice from those who understand the technical aspects, those who can help you think through consequences. Talk to those who will be directly impacted. Talk to your customers (I know, novel idea).
Talk to those who are used to making big decisions – these are people you should seek out and talk to regularly. They don’t have to be in your industry as the principles of good decision-making are mostly generally applicable. But they will understand not just the pressure, but also what are the key issues you need to focus on to make good decisions and what are the things you can ignore. They have good instincts honed over time and practice.
Talk to people who ask the right questions – not the questions YOU THINK are right or YOU WANT to be asked, but the questions that make you think. The ones that open up new perspectives for you.
Then you need to decide which advice to take and which to ignore. That’s right: you shouldn’t take all the advice you get.
Then decide, out of all the important but conflicting aspects, which ones take precedence. Forget about listing pros and cons: list the critical aspects, then the slightly less important ones, then the nice to haves and so on.
Before you make important decisions you need to be clear about what you cannot compromise on, and what you don’t want to compromise on. There’s an important difference.
Then swiftly proceed to the hard part: make the decision with all its consequences. Including picking the roads you will not take. This is the hard part, but this is the job. It is your job.
You cannot complain that no one is telling you what to do. They shouldn’t tell you. They can’t. They are not in your position, and they will not be responsible for the consequences. It is your decision because it is your responsibility.
This shouldn’t crush you. It is a perfectly normal part of the job, and you’ll get used to it.
It’s not just that you’ll get used to it, but you will get better at it over time. Knowing when to go deeper and when to move fast will become easier every day.
Sound decision-making is like a muscle and you can build it up. Just keep at it.
And if you can’t? Well, what is that saying, ‘if you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen’? Just saying.