No matter the industry you happen to work in, every decision carries consequences. Some are immediate, large, and obvious. Others are subtle and unfold gradually over months or even years.
In my particular field, municipal government administration, decisions often affect thousands of residents (not to mention public sector employees) and involve taxpayer money, sometimes large amounts. So, understanding the consequences attached to each decision, no matter the size or scope, is one of the defining responsibilities.
What many don’t think about, however, is the cost of decisions that are postponed. While careful deliberation is essential to reach a mature and well-thought-out conclusion, delaying taking action, even if only by a few days, is rarely without consequence.
Every Decision Has a Cost
At its very foundations, municipal government is built upon four major concepts: careful planning, public consultation, financial responsibility, and thoughtful deliberation. These are the pillars upon which good local governance is built. Employing them effectively means that important decisions should never be rushed, particularly when they involve the public purse or entail lasting implications for a community.
On the other side of that coin, every delay carries with it its own penalties. A project that remains on hold today may very well become more expensive tomorrow. In fact, experience has taught me this is more likely than not. While, of course, every situation is different, municipal leaders should carefully consider the potential consequences of postponing a decision, including:
- Rising project and construction costs.
- Growing infrastructure needs that continue regardless of the pace of decision-making.
- Businesses delaying investment while awaiting approvals or greater certainty.
- Staff uncertainty surrounding priorities, making it more difficult to advance other important projects.
- The gradual accumulation of small delays that, over time, can lead to significant organizational issues.
This is a general list meant as a catch-all for most applicable situations. I was deliberately non-specific so as not to single out any particular department or agency, as again, each municipality is unique, and my own experiences may not be representative of other senior administrators. But the bottom line is this: in municipal government, choosing not to make a decision is often a decision in itself.
Finding the Right Balance
One of the greatest judgment calls a municipal leader or administrator has to make is deciding when enough information has been gathered to move forward with a plan. This is rarely a straightforward thing to do. Council members, staff, residents, businesses, and community organizations almost always bring different sets of priorities to the negotiating table. Listening carefully to each perspective takes time. And it should. Trying to see a given issue from all possible sides involved is the only real way to gain true understanding of its nature.
The challenge here is finding the balance between thoughtful consideration and timely action. Good municipal leaders recognize that every issue deserves careful attention, but they also understand that communities need steady progress.
Leadership Means Moving Forward
Over the course of my long career, I’ve learned that strong leadership is not measured by how quickly decisions are made, nor by how long issues are debated. Strong leadership is measured by the ability to gather the right information in a timely manner, consider all competing viewpoints, and move forward with confidence once all the facts have been weighed. You choose the option that’s most effective, helps the most people, and you do it within a reasonable timeframe.
I can safely say this: no decision will satisfy everyone. That has always been true, and it always will be. There’s an old adage that a good compromise leaves everyone a little dissatisfied, and I think there’s more than a grain of truth in that.
I’ll conclude this blog post with a final thought: communities are best served when their leaders understand that thoughtful action and timely action are not mutually exclusive ideas. The strongest municipal governments recognize that both are necessary, because progress depends not only on making good decisions, but on making them when they matter most.
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