Ever have one of those days where even the smallest decisions feel impossible? Even the best ops leaders can freeze up, not for lack of ideas or drive, but from info overload.
One leader I know kept seeing her team spinning their wheels, like they were dragging their heels. They were hanging back, waiting for certainty that never came. Meanwhile, nothing moved forward.
What changed? Giving the team permission to make decisions without all the answers, and learning that ‘enough’ isn’t a number, it’s a mindset. As the team stepped up, they moved quicker, morale shot up, and she won back time for what matters most.
In this episode you’ll hear why ops teams get stuck, why expecting certainty is a non-starter, and how to act with confidence—even before you’re fully sure.
The Hidden Cost of the Search for Perfection
Sometimes it’s way tougher to know when to quit hunting for answers than it is to actually find the right one. I often see leaders chase data for hours, but beneath it? Fear—of being wrong or challenged—keeps teams stuck.
I get how you see that every puzzle piece matters. But the search for perfection silently eats up both time and mental headspace.
One of the hardest—and most important—things you can do is model calculated risk for your team. When you act decisively, even while acknowledging that there’s uncertainty, you show your team that good judgment sometimes means making the best call with what you have.
Here’s what I often advise my clients (and what I try to live by myself):
Move when you’re about 75% certain.
Why Moving at 75% Beats Waiting for Perfect Info
You might hear me say 75% or 80%, or catch someone else saying 70%. Honestly, the exact number’s not the point. The point is choosing a threshold that feels right to you, and then committing to move forward once you hit it.
The objective is to avoid getting stuck waiting for perfect, because perfect is a moving target in operations. Decisiveness and momentum come from having the courage to say, ‘This is enough to act on,’ and trusting yourself and your team from there.
I use this 75% rule even when making this podcast. Honestly, I could get stuck tweaking every word and edit, trying to make it perfect. But I’ve learned that moving forward—even before it’s flawless—makes a huge difference, in big ways and small.
Here’s why: You’ll almost never have all the perfect info. Speed generally trumps perfection in operations—most decisions can be reversed. Those that can’t do deserve extra care.
Your 15-Minute Sprint to Clear Decisions
If you’re stuck over a call, try this quick trick: set a 15-minute timer, write down what you know, what you guess, and what you’re missing. And then ask:
“If we say yes on this with 75% certainty, what’s the actual fallout if we’re wrong?”
When you can steer things back on track, then why not just make the call. If not, pause, briefly, get what’s missing, and then move.
When teams struggle with decision-making, it’s often less about process and more about creating an environment where they feel safe to step up, maybe even mess up. This is a place where coaching can make a big difference. Teams that coach together create a stronger ecosystem, where it’s safe to experiment, learn from failure, and grow forward.
Here’s the question I’ll leave you with: What’s one decision you’ve been sitting on, waiting for that ever-elusive 100% certainty?
Give the ‘75% rule’ a try right now. Notice the impact that has on your team’s energy, the vibe, and the space that you have for the work that really matters.
So, give it a try, and let me know how it goes.
If this episode struck a chord, especially around winning back time from indecision, check out Episode 86—“How Ops Execs Can Stop Drowning in Priorities.” You’ll get a clear, practical plan for carving out space for what matters, even when everything feels urgent. Find it at: yourfuturerealized.com/86.
You can’t stop the chaos, but you can change the game.