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D is for Decisions with less friction
- Feb 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 25
Welcome! This article is part of an A–Z series where I’m sharing reflections on the patterns I keep seeing in teams, leadership and workplace culture.
Not theory. Not tips. Just observations from real working life.
Decision making is one of the biggest drains on energy in teams.
Some decisions stall because everyone wants certainty. Others get rushed because someone just wants it off their plate. Some circle the same conversation for weeks without ever really landing.
Leaders often feel stuck in the middle. If they don’t decide, things stall. If they do, someone’s unhappy.
And this isn’t just a feeling, it’s reality in UK workplaces.
Nearly half (46%) of UK employees say they perform best when they’re involved in decision-making, rather than decisions being made for them without consultation, highlighting how important participation and shared understanding are to effective outcomes.
At the same time, UK business leaders themselves are feeling the pressure: around 48% of senior leaders say they are less confident making business-critical decisions now than before the pandemic, and many report that decision complexity, data overload and uncertainty slow them down.
What’s really missing is shared understanding:
People approach decisions very differently:
Some want data.
Some want discussion.
Some want time.
Some want momentum.
When those needs clash and aren’t explicitly acknowledged, decisions feel heavy. This isn’t just a leadership problem - it affects day-to-day working too. When decisions aren’t clear or transparent:
People hesitate to act.
Meetings multiply.
Small choices get escalated unnecessarily.
Collaboration weakens.
And that creates conflict: recent UK research shows 44% of employees in Great Britain experienced workplace conflict in the past year, and much of this involves disagreements and friction around decisions, roles and expectations.
So what actually helps?
✔ Teams that know how decisions are made and when they’ll be consulted spend far less time second-guessing each other.
✔ Clarity about roles, timelines and expectations replaces guesswork with momentum.
✔ People don’t need every decision to please everyone - just to feel fair, transparent and intentional.
When people feel seen and heard, they’re more likely to support the outcome.
When teams understand:
Why a decision was made,
How it was arrived at,
And what happens next,
…the friction drops. People feel respected, trusted, and engaged in the process - not just subject to it.
If this resonated, it’s probably because you’re seeing it too.
Philippa x
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