One of the things that strikes new CEOs is how bloody many decisions there are to make to run a startup and a fledgling business to say nothing of one that survives the trip from the cradle to the marketplace.

I have read that a CEO makes more decisions in a day than CEOs did in prior times in a month — prior times being defined as pre-personal computer and Internet.

I was in business before the PC and the Internet and I totally agree with that assessment. No big surprise there, right?

Of all the skills that are attributed to CEOs being a “good decision-maker” is usually overlooked. Are you a good decision-maker?

What makes a good decisionmaker, Big Red Car?

I have always favored an orderly decision-making process and studied how General Eisenhower ran his decision-making during World War II.

Decisions Better Ones — For CEOs

It is worth your time to review this. Also, you can search for other blog posts on this website — type “decision” into the search bar. There are several blog posts.

So, why is this on your mind, Big Red Car?

This entire situation in Afghanistan seems to be a futile exercise in incomplete staff work and horrendously poor decision-making. I am not complaining of the ultimate decision — the decision to withdraw which I support wholeheartedly — but the implementation decisions.

It seems so obvious to me that we should have held onto Bagram Airbase, gotten all American citizens out of the country, gotten all SIVs and other workers who were at risk out of the country long before we began to evacuate embassy staff, and, only then, the last US troops.

Right now we have a confrontation between a POTUS who says he will extend the 31 August deadline and the Taliban who say “There will be consequences.”

Bottom line it, Big Red Car, I’m late for lunch

There is a difference between the portent of decisions and the mechanics of decision-making and a CEO has to be good or become good at the process of framing and making decisions. It is an essential skill.

Have a great day, y’all.

But, hey what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car.