Decision Fatigue

Leaders often describe decision fatigue as exhaustion – but the exhaustion isn’t from the volume of decisions. It’s from the constant switching between competing priorities, identities, expectations, and stakeholders. The cognitive load is real, but the emotional load is heavier.

Effective decision-making requires not just clarity of information, but clarity of self. Leaders need to understand what drives their choices: fear of loss, desire for harmony, avoidance of conflict, pressure to deliver, or internalized responsibility. When leaders see the patterns behind their decisions, they make fewer reactive moves and more intentional ones.

The most sustainable leaders aren’t faster decision-makers. They’re clearer thinkers.

Explore

TED Talk: The Art of Choosing – Sheena Iyengar

Book: Decisive – Chip & Dan Heath

Research: 10 Strategies for Leading in Uncertain Times – MIT Sloan