The “5 Second Rule” doesn’t apply to management decisions….

Remember when we were kids (or raising kids) and a small piece of food dropped to the floor? “5-Second rule” went into effect and perhaps we gobbled it up along with a whole lot of dirt at the same time! Fortunately today, I have Whistler, the German Shepherd, to do the “dirty” work, but as a kid, I was raised believing a little dirt was good for us.

As a manager, the same rule does not apply. We shouldn’t be making decisions after a 5-second conversation with a customer, vendor or employee. There is always another point of view, more information, or data to consider before making an informed decision. I’m not saying eating dirt is bad (i.e. humble pie is good for everyone at some point), but the habit of firing off a decision first and aiming second is a behavior that impacts employee morale. And it is a small habit to change that has a big impact on the cultural and effectiveness of the team.