--- title: "Tuesday Buzz: Making the Tough Calls" id: "42307" type: "post" slug: "tuesday-buzz-making-the-tough-calls" published_at: "2018-04-17T21:45:06+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T21:47:13+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/04/17/tuesday-buzz-making-the-tough-calls/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/04/17/tuesday-buzz-making-the-tough-calls.md" excerpt: "Bosses often have to make hard decisions, and delaying doing so can hurt your team and your organization. Also: Gen-Xers are often overlooked at the office, but CNBC says they’re changing the nature of work." taxonomy_category: - "Executive Leadership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "decision-making" - "FOG management" - "Leadership" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Tuesday Buzz: Making the Tough Calls One of the responsibilities of leadership is making the hard decisions, but all too often, leaders avoid doing so. In the short term, avoiding the tough call can prevent conflict, but in the long term, the decision can have negative repercussions on your group. A recent [article from the Harvard Business Review (opens in a new tab)](https://hbr.org/2018/04/leaders-stop-avoiding-hard-decisions) states that there are three reasons bosses defer tough decisions: they’re afraid of disappointing employees, they struggle with ambiguity, and they want to be seen as fair. “Under the guise of fairness, leaders often avoid hard decisions that would separate out stronger performers from average performers, and, even more painfully, they fail to remove poor performers,” writes Ron Carucci. He goes on to explain how failing to manage low performers can damage a team. “Differentiating levels of performance is a leader’s job,” Carucci says. “When you avoid decisions that do so, you dilute meritocracy and redefine contribution as merely one’s efforts, regardless of outcome.” ### Don’t Forget Gen X > Generation X — not millennials — is changing the nature of work [https://t.co/SphSOHD9Re (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/SphSOHD9Re) > > — CNBC (@CNBC) [April 17, 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/986215165870919681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **With all the talk about millennials,** a gen-Xer can start to feel a little overlooked. But it’s not just the media that is overlooking that generation, it’s also the workplace. “Despite their growing influence and responsibilities at work, gen-Xers are most overlooked for promotion and have been the slowest to advance,” report Stephanie Neal and Richard Wellins [in a recent article (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/11/generation-x--not-millennials--is-changing-the-nature-of-work.html?__source=twitter%7Cmain) for *CNBC*. “We found gen-X leaders on average had only 1.2 promotions in the past 5 years, significantly lower than their younger millennial counterparts (1.6 promotions) and more senior baby boomers (1.4 promotions) during the same period of time.” ### Other Links of Note **AI is already changing the way we work.** *CMSWire* shows how the technology is [reshaping the digital workspace (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cmswire.com/digital-workplace/6-ways-ai-is-improving-the-digital-workplace/) . **Make a compelling case to attract more event attendees.** Here are a few copywriting [tips for being more persuasive (opens in a new tab)](https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/copywriting-tips-conference-ds00/) from Eventbrite. **While there’s always going to be news** that your organization will need to respond to on the fly, *Social Media Examiner* reveals how you can get a jump on your content by [planning it out for the year ahead (opens in a new tab)](https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-research-and-plan-blog-content-for-a-year/) . (DNY59/E+/Getty Images Plus) [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Tags: [#decision-making](https://associationsnow.com/tag/decision-making/) [#FOG management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/fog-management/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) - [VideoInt. 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