Tempo is a leadership tool.
Some decisions improve with a week of thought; some rot in a day. Teams under pressure usually treat them all the same — either everything is urgent, or everything waits for the next meeting. Both are expensive.
Sort before you solve
When a decision lands on your desk, give it a speed before you give it an answer. Three labels are enough.
Today — waiting costs more than being slightly wrong.
This month — better information is coming, and you know when.
Not mine — someone closer to the work should own it, with your backing.
Naming which is which, out loud, is one of the most calming things a leader can do.
Say the speed out loud
Tell the team which label you chose and why. People can live with a slow decision when they know it is deliberately slow. What exhausts them is not knowing whether anyone is deciding at all.
