Leading Through Uncertainty: Five Questions To Ask Before Acting

You're staring at a decision that could reshape your practice's future. Maybe it's whether to invest in that new interventional glaucoma technology everyone's talking about. Or how to address the staff turnover that's been bleeding your operational efficiency dry.

If you make a quick decision, the problem could move off your plate. But the last thing you need is to make the wrong call and add more chaos to the mix. 

Competing priorities are ever-present in practice management.And challenges like competitors, reimbursement changes, and shifting patient expectations will never disappear. So how do you lead your team through the changes? 

Rushing to solutions without asking the right questions is how good intentions become operational headaches. Next time you’re navigating uncertainty, take a breath and ask your team these five questions:

1. What Problem Are We Really Trying to Solve?

Before you make a decision, get clear on the actual problem.

Too often, practices invest in solutions for issues they haven't properly defined. Hiring more staff might seem to be the solution for overwhelm, but if the real problem is workflow efficiency, those new employees will encounter the same roadblocks as the existing team.

When you stop treating symptoms and start addressing root causes, your decisions create lasting change.

2. What's the Cost of Doing Nothing?

It’s natural to focus on the risks of making the wrong decision. But standing still has risks, too. 

The referral relationship you've been meaning to strengthen? Your competitor may be nurturing it right now. That staff training you keep postponing? Your team's frustration is showing up in patient interactions every day.

The “safe” choice of waiting might actually be slow-motion failure. Ask what you’re missing out on if you don’t make a change. 

3. Where Might We Be Making False Assumptions?

Every practice operates on assumptions:
"Our patients won't pay out-of-pocket."
"Our staff is happy."
"Our competitors aren't a threat."

But what if you’re wrong?

Challenge your assumptions like your practice depends on it—because it might. To do this, gather other people’s perspectives. Talk to your patients about what they actually value. Survey your team about what frustrates them. Ask peers in other markets how you stack up against your competitors.

The assumptions that feel obvious are often the ones worth questioning most. 

4. How Can We Pressure-Test This Decision?

Before you make a major change, apply some pressure. Run a small pilot program. Get input from colleagues who've walked this path. 

Get physicians and administrators in the same room, speaking the same language, and they’ll often reveal the blind spots you need to see. 

You’ll either get  reassurance that you’re heading in the right direction, or be saved from making a costly oversight.

5. What's Our Plan for Course Correction?

No decision is perfect. But resilient leaders plan for adaptation from day one.

Build in checkpoints and set clear metrics that tell you when to double down or pivot. Create space for honest conversations about what's working and what isn't. 

Agility wins every time.

The Bottom Line

Uncertainty doesn’t have to halt your practice’s progress. By asking sharper questions upfront, you get clarity on the path ahead.

The next time you're facing an overwhelming decision, whether it's expanding surgical capacity, implementing new patient processes, or navigating a partnership, don't make a snap decision. Walk through these five questions with your team. Together, you’ll find the clarity to move forward.

Need help facilitating these kinds of leadership conversations in your practice? At Marjen, we help you turn operational challenges into operational advantages. Together, we’ll create the roadmap your practice needs to thrive.