Super Villains Week: The OK-ing Avenger

It's a simple project -- maybe like interviewing someone for a TV spot or writing a paragraph of copy to go up on the Web.

It seems simple and you get it done quickly ... but then the OK-ing Avenger takes over and you're lucky if you hear back 4 weeks later.

The OK-ing Avenger is someone who has a constant fear of disapproval. Therefore, the OK-ing Avenger spends his or her days running minute decisions by bosses and leaders.
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The OK-ing Avenger can be frustrating to work with because usually, everyone is in agreement about a project and ready to move forward ... until the OK-ing Avenger takes over. They slow down everything and kill all the momentum in a project.

I also think OK-ing Avengers suffer from decision paralysis. They're so concerned about making the right decision and involving everyone all the time that they can't act. Let me just say, I'd rather work with someone who makes a call and is right some times and wrong others than deal with an OK-ing Avenger who is right all the time, but has to constantly get approval from everyone.

And something about higher ed leads to more OK-ing Avengers than in private industries. Maybe it's because higher ed is very hierarchical by nature, with all the levels of professors, etc., it just breeds this culture of out-ranking and constant approval.

So how to deal with the OK-ing Avenger?

• Set a time line — You may not be able to break them of their habit of running the decision by everyone, but you can help end the madness. Agree upon a time line, like "We need to hear back within a week, if not, we will move forward."
• Let them know it's OK to be wrong — I know, it coming from us may not be the same as it coming from their bosses, but let the OK-ing Avenger know it's just fine to act and be wrong once in a while. For example, if they do -- on the rare accession -- give you the co-ahead on a Web site and later it turns out that the president doesn't agree with that, tell the OK-ing Avenger, "Yeah, it didn't work out in the end. But you know, I respect you for making a decision and going with." Any little reinforcement like that can help.
• Agree upon who needs to approve something — Don't let the OK-ing Avenger get away with "I need to run this by some people." Ask politely, "Yeah, I was thinking about that. Who do you think you'll need to talk to?" From there, you can debate just who needs to be involved and why. At the very least, it may help you understand why the OK-ing Avenger needs to run it by a certain person.
• Try to understand how they got this way — Everyone superhero and super villain has an origin story (how they got their powers, turned to good/evil, etc.) Maybe you can find out how your OK-ing Avenger became so paranoid about decisions. If nothing else, maybe it will help you sympathize with them a little bit.