When someone finds himself under pressure, and that may be for whatever reason, it reduces that person’s ability to be present to the needs of the team. It automatically shifts that person’s focus to himself.

A leader trying to come to a common decision with that person needs to find a way to establish circumstances allowing to reduce that pressure, that is allowing the person to feel free to express themselves as well as to feel safe from any retaliation.

But that might not always be possible.

That is the moment when the leader needs to question the situation and consider the needs of the team as well as the ability of that person to deal with the pressure they are subject to.

Caring for that person may lead to deciding on behalf of that person.

It means taking the risk that it might not work well as the person may not be able to accept that decision. And it is a decision that requires many other conversations. It impacts the whole team and depends on a large array of restrictions that need to be verified.

It may help to consider that such a decision does not define what the person does but what she can do. It transforms circumstances. These can be the individual as well as the team’s circumstances.

The fact that it is counterintuitive helps to slow the process down and make a careful decision. However, considering the team, if needed, such a decision needs to be fast enough.