Analysis Paralysis

Johann Friedrich von Schiller (not one of my ancestors) said, "He who considers too much will perform little." While it is certainly true that facts are our friends (see http://blog.fastcompany.com/experts/dkarlin/2008/01/leadership_combined_forces_of.html?partner=rss), too much reliance on fact analysis becomes equivalent to lack of decisiveness. A true leader needs the ability to quickly ascertain the pertinent facts and then move on.

You may find yourself questioning decisions because you feel the facts were ignored. This may even be true of decisions that you made. Keep in mind that decisions are made in the gut and not the head. We make decisions first and then think of reasons afterward. This is being smart. If we sifted through all facts and reasonings first, we would never get anything done.

The Zeignarick Effect

The Zeigarnick Effect states that once you've truly made a decision on something, your active memory on the issue shuts down and all creative thinking regarding the matter stops. Therefore, you need to be balanced in your decision making. If you decide too soon, you will not have allowed enough time for creativity. If you wait too long to decide, you will never get anything done.

This highlights another reason that work is more like walking a tightrope than digging a ditch. You need to be balanced in setting the timetable for making decisions. Executive types tend to force decisions as soon as possible. Analytical types tend to put off decisions for as long as possible. You need to strike a balance.