‘How to decide’ with Jon Bircher

What does it really mean to be a great decision-maker, and why is this skill so often left to chance?


In this episode of The Evolving Leader, co-hosts Jean Gomes (https://www.weareoutside.com/team) and Scott Allender (  / scott-allender-4170465  ) sit down in person with Jon Bircher (  / jonbircher  ) , decision coach and former strategy consultant, to explore why decision-making is rarely taught, and how we can do it better. Jon shares insights from his coaching work with senior leaders who often feel confident in solo decisions, but struggle in collaborative settings. We talk about why so many decisions get stuck in ambiguity, how emotion and gut feeling play a role, and how leaders can build conditions for more thoughtful, inclusive, and reflective decision-making.


This is a conversation about slowing down to ask better questions, experimenting with new ways of thinking, and developing a decision-making practice that’s fit for the complexity of leadership today.






Other reading from Jean Gomes and Scott Allender:
Leading In A Non-Linear World (J Gomes, 2023) (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Non-Linear-I...)


The Enneagram of Emotional Intelligence (S Allender, 2023) (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Enneagram-Em...)






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The Evolving Leader is researched, written and presented by Jean Gomes (https://www.weareoutside.com/team) and Scott Allender (  / scott-allender-4170465  ) with production by Phil Kerby (https://www.weareoutside.com/phil-kerby) . It is an Outside (https://www.weareoutside.com/evolving...) production.






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After more than 5 years of hosting The Evolving Leader, Jean Gomes and Scott Allender are launching their new show The Mindset Economy in January 2026. The new show will explore how to live better, work smarter and be connected in a more uncertain world where machines can think. 


Available wherever you get your podcasts.