There’s a lie many leaders believe: that the best decisions come from long, sometimes endless analysis. We pile on more data, ask for more reports, and wait for perfect clarity before we act. More data and more data. And the more data you look at, the harder it becomes to make a decision.
On the flip side, in fast-moving companies, we often glorify speed at all costs. Quick calls, gut instincts, “fail fast” mantras common to startups. But rushing creates its own chaos: rework, wasted resources, and burned-out teams.
Both traps - too slow and too rash - carry a price. And that price is trust. When your people see you hesitate endlessly or pivot recklessly, confidence erodes.
The real skill isn’t about being fast or slow. It’s about Decision Velocity: the ability to move with both speed and wisdom.
What is Decision Velocity?
Decision Velocity is the art of making decisions quickly enough to keep momentum, but grounded enough to avoid avoidable fires.
It’s about shifting from “How do I get this right?” to “How do I move forward, learn, and adjust?”
Leaders with high Decision Velocity don’t waste time on perfectionism, nor do they confuse speed with progress. They make deliberate moves, learn from outcomes, and build trust by showing they can both act and adapt.
This connects to ideas I explored in my earlier work on analysis paralysis - how overthinking quietly erodes leadership credibility - and decision-making pitfalls, where leaders often trade boldness for safety or speed for recklessness. Decision Velocity is about finding the healthy middle ground.
Feel free to explore my other articles on this topic here:
The Biggest Leadership Fails in Decision-Making (and How to Avoid Them)
Let me ask you a question: When was the last time you made a decision as a leader and thought, “I’ve got this!” - only to have it completely backfire? It happens to all of us. Leadership is, after all, a balancing act, and decision-making is at the heart of it.
From my startups experience
When I was leading operations at a scaling startup, we faced a crisis with customer onboarding. Growth was exploding, but our systems couldn’t keep up.
I watched one group of leaders overanalyze the problem, drowning in spreadsheets while customers churned. Another group tried to fix everything overnight, burning out the team and introducing new errors.
Neither worked.
What shifted everything was applying a simple Decision Velocity principle: act at 70%. We gathered enough insight to understand the main problem, made a decisive change in one process, and promised ourselves we’d review in two weeks. That balance - fast enough to matter, grounded enough to learn - kept momentum alive without breaking trust.
Jeff Bezos’s decision Velocity Model - and Where It Falls Short
Jeff Bezos has often spoken about his “70/30 rule”: make most decisions when you have about 70% of the information you want, rather than waiting for 90%. He argues that if you wait for near-certainty, you’re probably too late.
It’s powerful advice - but I find it incomplete.
Here’s why:
It assumes every leader knows how to course-correct. Many don’t. They act at 70% and then resist revisiting the decision, either out of ego or fear of appearing indecisive.
It overlooks team trust. Speed without reflection can leave people feeling railroaded. A fast decision made in isolation may hit targets but corrode relationships.
It risks normalizing recklessness. Not every choice deserves the same threshold. Some decisions need 90%; others need 40%. Context matters.
This is where Decision Velocity goes further. It’s not just about speed and percentages. It’s about building a rhythm of action and reflection - moving quickly enough to matter but pausing enough to stay grounded and keep your team with you.
How to Build Your Decision Velocity
Here are three moves I recommend în my coaching sessions that you can also start using today:
Name the fear
When you feel stuck, ask: What am I afraid of losing? Often, the real blocker isn’t lack of data - it’s fear of regret, failure, or looking bad. Naming it brings clarity. În my experience - people fear looking bad the most.Act at 70% (but with reflection)
Like Bezos, don’t wait for perfect certainty. But unlike the simplified version, pair speed with scheduled review. Every big call deserves a check-in point, not just a leap.Build reflection into speed
Every fast decision deserves a pause. It doesn’t need to be long - sometimes five minutes is enough. The act of stopping to breathe, question assumptions, or sense-check with a peer makes all the difference.
My Point
Leadership isn’t about never getting it wrong. It’s about creating a rhythm where decisions fuel momentum instead of draining it. And remember: Good Enough Really Is Good Enough.
Decision Velocity gives you that rhythm. It keeps your team moving forward, builds trust, and turns mistakes into stepping stones instead of roadblocks.
And here’s the paradox: the leaders who learn to decide with velocity don’t just move faster. They create calmer, steadier organizations - because people trust the process as much as the outcome.
✨ Reflection for you: Where are you currently stuck in analysis - and where are you rushing without grounding? Pick one decision this week and try the 70% rule with reflection. Notice what shifts.
About me
I’m a leadership development consultant, certified coach, and digital transformation strategist with 18 years of experience leading people, operations, L&D and organizational change. I specialize in guiding leaders through complex transformations in the age of AI, with expertise in change management, leadership development, and workplace culture. As the author of Atomic Leadership on Substack, I share actionable insights that empower leaders, teams, and organizations to thrive in fast-changing environments. Follow me on LinkedIn or Connect.