202104291528 Leaders have to accept a slower feedback loop

As a leader's scope of responsibility increases, the ambiguity and difficulty of making decisions based on tight feedback loops increases. Leaders therefore have to learn how to 202104291527 Live in the ambiguity and 202104291526 Make the hard decisions based on slower feedback loops.

As a developer, we see instantaneous feedback when coding. More broadly, we see quick research and decision making feedback loops on a small scale. If I don't know how to do something, I research, try something, and immediately know if it's working or not.

As a leader, our feedback loops are based on long term team health and execution. We set a direction, 202104291529 Repeat the message in order to be heard ad nauseam, and then have to wait. We have to see if people are taking up the vision or strategy and laying down concrete steps in the right direction. It takes time for the movement to happen and it takes time for us to see if that movement is amounting to what we thought it would.

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't try and measure our feedback loops at all. On the contrary it's critical to 202108191029 Measure what you do and have faith that these measurements are accurate so that the long periods of time we spend tuning them are well spent.

We can still apply methods like the 202205031247 OODA loop of action to leadership even with the slower feedback cycle. It simply changes the scope and timing of the methodology.