How to Know When To Revisit A Decision
You made the decision.
You committed to it.
You got your team aligned.
You navigated the identity shift that came with it.
And now, weeks or months later, something’s nagging at you.
Should I revisit this decision?
Maybe the results aren’t what you expected.
Maybe something’s changed.
Or maybe your gut is telling you something’s off.
But here’s the tension:
You don’t want to be the leader who constantly changes direction or second-guesses every choice.
And you don’t want to be the leader who sticks with a decision long after it’s clear something needs to shift.
So how do you tell the difference between:
normal discomfort (stay the course),
useful feedback (adjust your approach), and
a real signal the decision itself needs revisiting?
There’s no formula. But there are questions that help.
The Difference Between Second-Guessing and Revisiting
Second-guessing is doubt without new information.
Revisiting is responding to what’s actually changed.
Second-guessing asks:
Was this the right decision?
Revisiting asks:
Is this still the right decision, given what we now know?
One is rumination.
The other is responsiveness.
When to Stay the Course
Stay the course when:
You’re in the messy middle of implementation.
Almost every meaningful decision has a phase where things feel harder than expected. That alone doesn’t mean it was wrong.
The discomfort is about the change, not the direction.
If it feels unfamiliar rather than fundamentally misaligned, that’s often part of adjustment.
You haven’t given it enough time yet.
Some decisions take longer to show results. Evaluating too early can distort what you’re seeing.
The doubt is driven by fear, not data.
Fear of failure or of being wrong is human. But it’s not the same thing as evidence.
Your team needs you to stay committed.
When you waver, they will too.
When To Adjust Your Approach (Without Changing the Decision)
Sometimes the decision is sound, but how you’re executing it isn’t.
Adjust your approach when:
The direction still feels right, but the path isn’t working.
The goal makes sense; the way you’re trying to get there needs to change.
New information affects tactics, not strategy.
You’re learning how to do it better, not learning that it was a mistake.
Feedback points to a specific obstacle.
The challenges are real–and also workable.
When To Revisit The Decision Itself
Sometimes the decision really does need another look.
Revisit it when:
The core assumptions have changed.
The conditions that made the decision viable just aren’t there anymore.
The data says this isn’t just hard–it’s flawed.
Not “this is uncomfortable,” but clear signs the approach won’t work.
The cost has become unsustainable.
Financially. Culturally. Operationally.
New material information has surfaced.
Something you didn’t know then–but would absolutely factor in now.
The decision is causing harm you didn’t anticipate.
Not resistance or growing pains, but real damage that outweighs the benefit.
The Hardest Part
There’s no bright line that tells you, Stay or Revisit.
This is judgment. And judgment is uncomfortable.
You don’t need certainty.
You need honesty–about what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what staying or shifting would actually require of you right now.
That’s not indecisiveness.
That’s responsive leadership.
✨This week’s reflection: Is there a decision you’ve been quietly wondering about?
Try asking yourself:
Has anything fundamentally changed since I decided?
Is this an implementation challenge or a deeper flaw?
What does staying committed require of me right now?
If I walked away, would it be because it’s not working or because I’m uncomfortable?
Your answer will usually tell you more than you think.
If this is something you’re wrestling with, I’d love to hear about it.
You can reply, share your experience, or pass this along to someone who might be in the middle of a tough call.
Sometimes clarity doesn’t come from thinking harder–it comes from thinking out loud with the right people.
