“The most difficult part of my work is acting without correct information on which to predicate action.”¹
These words, written by Major General George G. Meade on July 6, 1863, capture the challenge of leadership and decision-making under uncertainty. Fresh from the Battle of Gettysburg, Meade understood that leaders often make decisions with incomplete information, yet action is still required.
Education, Training, and Experience
Meade was no stranger to leadership challenges. A graduate of West Point (1835), he initially left the Army in 1836 but returned in 1842 as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers. ² His experience spanned the Mexican American War and major Civil War battles, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and, most notably, Gettysburg. ³
In a past blog post, I discussed how education, training, and experience shape decision-making. Meade had all three. Yet, despite decades of preparation, he still admitted the difficulty of making decisions with missing information.
Leading Through Uncertainty
By the time Meade led the Union Army of the Potomac to victory at Gettysburg, he had spent 32 years refining his leadership skills. Still, he acknowledged the imperfect nature of battlefield decisions. He acted despite uncertainty, forcing General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia to retreat.
This raises a crucial question: Can you make decisions without all the information, or do you fall into “analysis paralysis “hesitating out of fear of making the wrong choice?
I Can Help
For over 18 years, I’ve studied decision-making and situational awareness, authoring research papers during my time at the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. As a former battalion chief and incident commander, I’ve faced high-pressure decisions firsthand.
If you or your team struggle with decision-making, I can help you develop your leadership and decision-making skills.
¹ Kent Masterson Brown, Meade at Gettysburg: A Study in Command (Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2021), 337.
² Ezra J. Warner, Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders (Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1992), 316.
³ Ibid, 316.
