How Great Leaders Make Faster, Smarter Decisions When the Stakes Are High

Decisions That Travel (Making Quality Decisions) Part 3

A good decision that nobody understands isn't a good decision. It's just a good idea that never traveled. In the final episode of our three part series on making quality decisions, Lucy and Lindsey unpack the mechanics of the toughest calls leaders make. The kind where more than one team is involved, the data is messy, the stakeholders disagree, and the stakes are real. Then they get into what happens after the decision is made, because that's where most leaders quietly drop the ball. In this episode: * Dana asks how to think through decisions that are getting more complex as her team grows. Lucy walks through the three factors that matter (data, stakeholders, process) and the question of how much data is actually enough. * Taylor is being pulled in different directions depending on who they talked to last. Lindsey shows how to spot the unclear motivations driving your decisions and how to anchor in real criteria instead. * Sam suspects a top performer is interviewing elsewhere and wants to retain them without making promises they can't keep. Lindsey shares the career conversation that works, and the one that backfires. * Ali asks how to communicate when things go wrong without coming off as either making excuses or catastrophizing. Lucy gives three rules for delivering bad news: share early, lead with the headline, and bring the ask. * Nancy made a call that her team is now pushing back on with new information. Lindsey walks through the difference between new information and new discomfort, and when changing course is strength rather than weakness. By the end of this episode, you'll have a working model for what makes a complex decision actually land: data, stakeholders, process, documentation, communication, and the willingness to revisit when the facts change. Want to Ask Us a Question? We’re taking real questions from real managers and people leaders. Email us at dearlandl@elevateleadership.com, and we just might feature yours in a future episode. Learn more about our solutions at https://www.elevateleadership.com/ [https://www.elevateleadership.com/] Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/] Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/] Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. And leave us a review to let us know what you think.

The Secret to Giving Feedback with Confidence

The "shit sandwich" might be the most common feedback technique in management, and it's also one of the worst. In this clip from Episode 8 of People Are the Worst, Lucy and Lindsey break down why sandwiching constructive feedback between two pieces of praise wastes time, why most managers don't give nearly enough feedback in the first place, and how to build the confidence to actually do it well. If you're a new manager who feels insecure about giving feedback, or a seasoned one whose 360 results keep saying "more feedback please," this one's for you. Lucy and Lindsey walk through how to prepare feedback, how to signal good intent, the question to ask before you deliver it, and the truth about where confidence actually comes from. Want to Ask Us a Question? We’re taking real questions from real managers and people leaders. Email us at dearlandl@elevateleadership.com, and we just might feature yours in a future episode. Learn more about our solutions at https://www.elevateleadership.com/ [https://www.elevateleadership.com/] Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/] Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/] Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. And leave us a review to let us know what you think.

Biases, Blind Spots, & Confidence (Making Quality Decisions) Part 2

Decision-making isn’t just about frameworks. It’s about what happens when those frameworks break down. In this episode of People Are the Worst, Lucy and Lindsey continue their in-depth exploration of leadership intelligence, focusing on what truly hinders high-quality decisions: bias, fear, and confidence gaps. Even when leaders understand data, stakeholders, and process, decisions can still go sideways. Why? Overthinking, imposter syndrome, and hidden mental traps quietly shape how we show up in critical moments. You’ll learn how to coach overthinkers without shutting them down, why most leaders don’t give enough feedback (and how to do it better), and how to recognize when performance management is no longer serving anyone. The episode also tackles one of the hardest challenges leaders face: rebuilding confidence after making the wrong call. Lucy and Lindsey break down practical tools like decision reversibility, separating identity from outcomes, and spotting biases like sunk cost and confirmation bias in real time. They also explore how to approach complex, high-stakes decisions with clarity by balancing data, stakeholders, and decision processes. If you’ve ever second-guessed a decision, delayed a tough call, or wondered if you’re getting it right, this episode will help you move forward with more clarity, confidence, and intention. Want to Ask Us a Question? We’re taking real questions from real managers and people leaders. Email us at dearlandl@elevateleadership.com, and we just might feature yours in a future episode. Learn more about our solutions at https://www.elevateleadership.com/ [https://www.elevateleadership.com/] Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/] Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/] Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. And leave us a review to let us know what you think.

How to Stay Strategic When Everything Is Moving Fast

How do you know if your strategic thinking is actually effective, especially when everything feels like it’s moving faster than ever? In this mini episode of People Are the Worst, Lindsey and Lucy unpack a question many newer managers quietly wrestle with: Am I thinking strategically enough? When urgency is high and the pace of change keeps accelerating, it’s easy to slip into constant reaction mode rather than stepping back to see the bigger picture. Lucy breaks down a practical way to evaluate your own strategic thinking by focusing on four key behaviors. That includes understanding your company’s goals, staying informed about changes in your industry, intentionally carving out time to think beyond day-to-day tasks, and aligning your team around clear priorities. The conversation also explores how AI and rapid market shifts are forcing leaders to rethink how they make decisions and set strategy. Strategic thinking isn’t about always being right. It’s about lifting your head, taking context into account, and helping your team move forward with clarity. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re being strategic enough in your role, this episode offers a simple framework to check your thinking and sharpen your leadership approach. Want to Ask Us a Question? We’re taking real questions from real managers and people leaders. Email us at dearlandl@elevateleadership.com, and we just might feature yours in a future episode. Learn more about our solutions at https://www.elevateleadership.com/ [https://www.elevateleadership.com/] Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/] Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/] Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. And leave us a review to let us know what you think.

How Great Leaders Make Faster, Smarter Decisions When the Stakes Are High

In this episode of People Are the Worst, Lindsey and Lucy continue their exploration of leadership intelligence by tackling one of the most difficult skills modern leaders must develop: making quality decisions quickly. In this new world of AI evolution, leaders rarely have perfect information or unlimited time. New expectations emerge almost overnight, and waiting for certainty is no longer an option. Instead, strong leaders learn how to balance thoughtful input with forward momentum so their teams can keep moving. This conversation breaks down how leadership intelligence shows up in real decision-making moments, from prioritizing your time as a manager to knowing when performance management has run its course. Lindsey and Lucy also unpack how strategic thinking, delegation, and clarity of priorities help leaders avoid becoming the bottleneck for their teams. You’ll hear practical frameworks for evaluating when to make a decision, how to break complex decisions into smaller reversible ones, and how leaders can create alignment so teams can move faster without sacrificing thoughtful input. If you’ve ever felt stuck between moving too slowly and moving too fast, this episode will help you find the balance. In modern leadership, the goal isn’t perfect certainty but to build the confidence and clarity to decide confidently. Want to Ask Us a Question? We’re taking real questions from real managers and people leaders. Email us at dearlandl@elevateleadership.com, and we just might feature yours in a future episode. Learn more about our solutions at https://www.elevateleadership.com/ [https://www.elevateleadership.com/] Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/] Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/] Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. And leave us a review to let us know what you think.