2. The 11 Myths Les Had to Face (And Replace)
Breaking old patterns of decision making
1. “I like to be efficient”
Les used to pride himself on quick decisions. But John pointed out that speed isn’t always smart.
“If you don’t slow down to get clear on what you’re solving,” John said, “you’ll end up solving the wrong thing.”
Lesson - Efficiency isn’t about acting fast — it’s about acting on the right problem.
2. “I’m too busy to give this proper time”
Like most SME owners, Les wore too many hats. He often pushed off decisions until something broke.
John reframed that - “Delaying a decision is a decision. And it usually costs more later.”
Lesson - Making time upfront prevents wasted time cleaning up later.
3. “I just need to solve this one issue”
Les thought in problems, not patterns. A delivery delay? Just sort the truck. A quote not followed up? Chase the admin.
But John showed him how those one-off decisions missed the bigger system issues.
Lesson - Zoom out. Problems live inside systems — solve the pattern, not just the symptom.
4. “It’s my call — I don’t need input”
Les often took decisions on himself. He thought that was his job as the boss.
But John challenged that. “If the team’s affected, they deserve to be heard — even if the final decision’s yours.”
Lesson - Decision-making isn’t a solo sport. Loop in those affected.
5. “I know I’m right — I just want confirmation”
Les admitted he sometimes looked for advice that echoed his gut. That’s called confirmation bias, John explained.
“It feels good, but it’s dangerous. You’re not testing your thinking — you’re protecting it.”
Lesson - Don’t look for backup. Look for challenge.
6. “I trust my gut”
Les’s instinct had served him well over the years. But John pushed him to think harder.
“Gut feels are built on past experience — not always relevant to now.”
Lesson - Use your gut to spot a hunch. But test it with real info.
7. “Decision-making is linear”
Les liked a checklist - gather info, decide, move on. But real decisions loop back. New info changes the game.
John said, “A good decision process circles back — it’s flexible.”
Lesson - Leave room to rethink as you learn more.
8. “I can figure it all out in my head”
With a thousand things going on, Les often tried to juggle decisions in his head.
“That’s risky,” said John. “You forget stuff. Emotion clouds logic. Write it down.”
Lesson - Notes aren’t weakness — they’re clarity.
9. “I already have all the info I need”
Les had a habit of skipping research if he felt confident.
But John made it simple - “Check your assumptions. Even ten minutes of solid research can change a decision.”
Lesson - Don’t stop at what you know. Go look for what you don’t.
10. “I can make a rational decision”
Les laughed at this one — he liked to think of himself as practical and level-headed.
“But emotion always plays a role,” John said. “The trick isn’t to remove it — it’s to notice it.”
Lesson - You’re not a robot. Make space to separate feelings from facts.
11. “There’s only one right way to do this”
Les had routines — the way quotes got done, how orders went out. But those habits were often just habit.
John said, “Challenge your defaults. There’s always another way — often a better one.”
Lesson - Keep learning. Keep experimenting.
Putting It Into Practice - The Cheetah Pause
John introduced Les to one final concept — the Cheetah Pause. It’s a strategic stop in the middle of decision-making. Like a cheetah slowing down to make a sharp turn mid-hunt, it’s about pausing to pivot with precision.
They built five quick reflection questions into Les’s decision-making rhythm -
Am I falling for one of the 11 myths?
How does this decision move me toward my business and life goals?
Are my feelings based on facts or old habits?
What don’t I know that I need to find out?
Who else sees this differently — and what can I learn from them?
Les kept the questions on a whiteboard above his desk.
The Impact on the Business
Better team input led to better job planning — fewer delays, tighter delivery windows.
Fewer reactive decisions meant less chaos and less rework.
Staff said they felt more involved — even if Les still made the final call.
Les felt more confident, not because he always had the answers, but because he had a process.
What Other Kiwi Business Owners Can Take from This
Most bad decisions don’t come from lack of effort — they come from unconscious thinking traps.
Your instincts might be solid — but they’re not enough on their own.
You can’t run every decision past a committee, but you should never make big ones in a vacuum.
Slowing down isn’t wasting time. It’s buying clarity.
Strategic pauses beat automatic responses — every time.
Final Word from John at RegenerationHQ
“The biggest myth is that leaders need to be bulletproof decision machines. In reality, the best leaders build in time to pause, reflect, and check their blind spots.”
Les didn’t change who he was — he just stopped making decisions on autopilot.
And that shift? It made all the difference.
A big thank you to Cheryl Strauss Einhorn for the inspiration.