In organisational change, decisions are evident, but the thinking behind them is not. It is often that thinking, rather than the decision itself, that determines whether change feels coherent or fragmented. Most organisations evaluate leadership through outcomes, what was decided, delivered, or achieved. However, during periods of change, outcomes are backward-looking indicators. They show what happened after the fact, not how decisions were formed while conditions were still uncertain and evolving.
In uncertainty, leaders do not behave randomly, they seem to default to their usual patterns. Some move quickly to create clarity, believing momentum reduces anxiety. Others slow down to build alignment, trusting that shared ownership prevents resistance later, while an analytical approach prioritises gathering information to reduce risk. None of these approaches are inherently better. The critical insight is that each one creates different types of organisational friction depending on the context, not only in systems and processes, but in how people experience the change itself. A fast-decision-making style can create clarity but may leave people feeling excluded. A highly consultative approach can build engagement yet slow momentum at exactly the moment speed is required. A deeply analytical style can strengthen confidence in a decision but delay the organisation’s ability to act. In other words, the same leadership strength can produce very different organisational and human outcomes depending on the phase of change.
What is less often acknowledged is that these patterns typically remain invisible until pressure increases. In stable environments, most decision-making styles appear effective, and their impact on people can go largely unnoticed. It is only when uncertainty rises that underlying tendencies become clear, particularly in how leaders navigate incomplete information, competing priorities, and the tension between speed and alignment. This is also when the people dimension becomes most apparent, how included individuals feel, how much trust is sustained, and how clearly direction is understood. Organisational change becomes revealing not because it changes who leaders are, but because it exposes how they think and how that thinking shapes the experience of change for others.
This is the shift that matters; change does not test leadership in theory, it tests the mechanics of judgment in real time. It also highlights where traditional assessment approaches can fall short if they focus only on outcomes or past performance. A more meaningful question is not whether a leader has made good decisions before, but how they construct decisions when conditions are unclear and how those decisions are experienced by the people who must execute them. Coaching adds another layer here, not by changing a leader’s style, but by making them aware of their style. Leaders who understand their default decision-making patterns are better able to adapt when context demands something different, adjusting not just what they do, but how they think and engage others under pressure.
At Oxford HR, we see decision-making as one of the most revealing dimensions of leadership during change. It sits beneath strategy and structure, yet often determines how both are experienced in practice, particularly by the people required to bring change to life. Through our work in organisational change, leadership assessment, and executive coaching, we support organisations to surface and understand these patterns, helping leaders adapt their thinking, strengthen alignment, and navigate the human dynamics of change more effectively because in times of change, leadership is not defined by certainty. It is defined by the thinking that takes place when certainty is no longer available and by how consciously leaders are able to adapt that thinking when it matters most.
Myushka Naidu
In order to pursue and explore her passion for people and transforming organisations, Myushka obtained a Master of Commerce in Organisational Psychology from the University of Johannesburg and is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. She has specialised in assessments and has experience in managing and consulting within various industries and sectors in the African region. Myushka is an accredited change practitioner utilising the PROSCI methodology and enjoys continuously learning new knowledge and skills to support individuals and organisations reach a synergetic state.
