Step Nine: What If You’re the Problem Child?

In Step Seven, we addressed how to manage the "problem children" on your team — the ones who miss deadlines, avoid ownership, and derail momentum.

Now let’s talk about a harder truth: What if the problem child is you?

It’s uncomfortable. But every leader — at some point — becomes the bottleneck, the procrastinator, the one still “thinking about it” while opportunities slip by.

Let’s call it what it is.

A leader’s job is to lead. That means making decisions and taking action — not waiting for perfect clarity or the perfect plan.

Colin Powell Said It Best

"Once you have 80% of the information, make the call."
A good plan, executed now, beats a perfect plan that never leaves the whiteboard.

You’ve probably lived this yourself. Ever had a tight deadline and still crushed it? The work got done. People were impressed. You were proud.

Why? Because urgency fuels clarity.

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Rule #9: Set Firm Deadlines — And Honor Them Like They’re Sacred

Let’s get tactical.

Rule #9

Establish a firm deadline for every task. Stick to it — unless it’s life or death.

This isn’t just motivational fluff. It’s grounded in Parkinson’s Law (1955):

“Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”

You’ve seen this in action:

• That presentation finalized 3 minutes before the meeting.

• Your kid’s homework started at 9 p.m. Sunday night.

• Your “quick update” that turns into 45 slides because there was no deadline.

Now think of the flip side:

• Remember a project with a tight, non-negotiable deadline.

• You shipped. It wasn’t perfect. But it was done, and it worked.

Deadlines force you to choose, prioritize, and deliver. No more analysis paralysis. No more hiding behind "still researching."

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If You Struggle With Deadlines, Here's Why

Let’s be blunt. If deadlines make you uncomfortable, look back at Step Four where we discussed leadership styles.

Chances are, you're more focused on being liked than being effective.

But real leadership? It's not a popularity contest.

Being in charge means making hard calls. Not everyone will love it. But over time, they will respect it.

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Three Reasons This Rule Changes the Game

1. You protect the mission.
   Decisions — even imperfect ones — keep the organization moving. Indecision kills momentum. Action brings progress.

2. You gain capacity.
   Finish one thing, and you make space for the next. Waiting around for "better" solutions? That’s just draining time — your most precious resource.

3. You earn respect.
   Your team expects leadership. When you deliver, it builds trust. They know the direction, and they’re freed up to do their best work.

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The Hard Truth: You Will Fail

You will make bad calls. You will ship something that flops. That’s okay.

What’s not okay?
Endlessly overthinking. Freezing. Waffling. That’s failure before the game even starts.

Here’s the growth mindset leaders need in 2025 and beyond:

Fail forward. Learn fast. Keep moving.

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ACTION ITEM 9 – Decide, Then Do

1. Pull out your to-do list.
   Don’t overthink. For each item, ask: What’s the best move right now based on what I know?

2. Write it down.
   For each action, list:

   • The worst possible outcome.

   • The most likely outcome.

3. Act now — unless failure would be catastrophic.

   • If the worst case is survivable, take action.

   • If not, set a firm deadline to decide — and don’t miss it.