You know it’s going to be a bad decision if …

As leaders, we focus a lot on making good decisions. As parents, coaches, business and church leaders, we want to make the best decisions possible.

However, there are actually times when the best decision is the ability to not make a bad decision.

By Eric Rojas

Bad decisions will happen; they are a part of life. But, some of them can certainly be avoided.

Here are some tips to consider. You know it’s going to be a bad decision if …

1) You made it too quickly. One of the key principles in leadership is to buy time. Yes, some decisions have to be made in the heat of the moment; but, most big decisions are best made by taking time to pray, research, gain counsel and think.

A friend of mine was being asked to buy his first house recently in a very short amount of time. While that didn’t guarantee it would be a bad decision, it certainly made the possibility of it being one much greater.

2) You made it too slowly. I know, I know — I’m contradicting myself. Not really. There comes a time when you just have to pull the trigger. There truly is a principle called paralysis by analysis. If you’ve prayed, sought counsel and done your research, then make the best decision you can. I do this buying cars. I always want one more piece of information and one more website to probe.

3) You haven’t prayed about it (or prayed about it enough). The book of James in chapter 1, verse 5 says that “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” I don’t mean a little pre-meal prayer. I mean fervent, on-your-knees prayer beseeching a Holy God for wisdom.

4) Everyone is happy. People-pleasers are often not the best leaders. Leaders have to make decisions that not everyone appreciates. If you try to make a decision to make everyone happy, then chances are much greater that it will be a bad decision.

5) It feels wrong. God has given us a conscience for a reason. If the decision feels wrong in your innards, then there’s a good chance it is.

6) It was made in a vacuum. One of my life verses is Proverbs 15:22: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” If you’re making decisions in a vacuum, there’s a high likelihood that they will be bad decisions.

I recently told a business owner friend that he needed to get a board because he was making all of the companies’ decisions on his own. We all need the wisdom and accountability of others.

Believe me, leaders: we all make mistakes. I could write 27,834 blogs on my mistakes in leadership. However, God’s grace and sovereignty covers up most of my failures and allows me to learn from them.

I encourage you to apply these six tips — and add your own — to help you avoid as many leadership mistakes as possible.

Live well. Lead well.

Eric Rojas loves his role as the executive pastor of Christ Community Church in St. Charles, IL, where he oversees a staff of 120 and serves alongside Senior Pastor Jim Nicodem. He has been on staff at CCC since 2000. During his 20+ years of ministry, Rojas has served in churches as a youth pastor, adult ministries pastor, small groups pastor, associate pastor, worship pastor and men’s pastor. He is a contributing author for Group Publishing’s Men’s Ministry in the 21st Century and has written for various magazines and websites. Rojas also serves the church-at-large through consulting and seminar presenting. He has been married to his wife, Rachel, for 22 years. They have 3 children — Luke, 21; Adam, 19; and Chloe, 17. A man of faith, Rojas believes that next year is the year the Cubs will finally win the World Series.