Whenever I speak with colleagues or conduct seminars on leadership, the topic of decision making is always top of mind. What criteria should leaders use when making important decisions? It depends, one of my leadership colleagues said. Of course it depends. So, let’s be specific and deal with a decision that almost all leaders have to make.
Let’s say you need to select someone to be your right-hand person. Someone who could take over for you if an unforeseen event would take you out of your leadership role—an accident, heaven forbid, or perhaps (better yet) you win the lottery. You would be prepared for such an event if you had someone ready to step into your shoes immediately, right? How should you choose your Number 2? What criteria would you use to help make your decision?
I posed this question to a number of leadership teams lately. Here are some of the answers.
- Select the smartest, most capable person you can find.
- Select someone who balances your shortcomings.
- Find someone who mirrors your skill set.
- Ensure your person is aligned with the core values, the vision, and the mission of the organization.
- Get the best candidate and begin mentoring that person to take your place on Day 1.
- Have your leadership team make the selection because they may see elements of the job that you don’t see (no one of us is as smart as all of us).
- Choose someone who philosophically aligned with you.
- Select someone who is strong enough to disagree with you.
I believe that each of these answers has merit. One or more may resonate with you than others. I encourage you to have a discussion with your leadership group, and as difficult as it will surely be, try to control the discussion to be nonpolitical. Focus on the criteria for selecting a right-hand person not on your personal political leanings.
Here is a real-world test for you and your colleagues: Did Joe Biden make the best selection with Kamala Harris? Try answering whether you think Biden applied any of the eight criteria listed above.