The Dynamics of Indecision: A Failure of Leadership

This Element is an excerpt from Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes for an Answer: Managing for Conflict and Consensus (9780131454392) by Michael A. Roberto. Available in print and digital formats.

Why so many organizations fall into the trap of "endless talk and no action"-and how to escape that trap, decide, and move forward!

In 1996, two large and well-respected Boston health-care institutions merged, bringing together more than 1,000 highly accomplished physicians. The marriage did not go smoothly. Financial losses escalated rapidly. Several CEOs tried and failed to execute a turnaround. Amid turmoil, Paul Levy took over. As he noted, everyone knew what had to be done, yet substantive organizational changes never materialized. The problem: a curious inability to decide.