In the world of technology leadership, there are moments when crucial decisions must be made without complete data. These scenarios often arise from time constraints or the unprecedented nature of the situation, where historical data is not available or offers little guidance. In such times, while advice from experienced advisors is valuable, the crux of the decision rests on your own assessment. It’s imperative to involve your senior management or board, especially in public companies, as proceeding without their support could be irresponsible.
To illustrate this with an easy to understand example, let me take you to an episode titled “Decrypt” from Season 4 of “The Good Doctor,” a TV series available on Netflix. The episode revolves around the fictional St. Bonaventure Hospital in San Jose, a large facility with over 500 beds and extensive high-tech medical equipment. The hospital faces a critical challenge when their computer network is crippled by a ransomware attack, leading to significant revenue and reputation loss.
The hospital is confronted with a two-million-dollar ransom demand. Lea Dilallo, the IT Head and software expert, requests 24 hours to attempt a data recovery. Simultaneously, the hospital’s president starts negotiating with the hackers through their insurance agent as a backup plan. However, when negotiations falter and the ransom is doubled, Lea proposes a high-risk solution involving a discarded server with potential backup data.
Despite the server’s questionable condition and the hackers’ threat to destroy valuable medical equipment, Lea believes in her expertise. She successfully repairs the server, recovers the data, and ensures the safety of the hospital’s systems, all without the explicit approval of the hospital’s president. Ultimately, her decisive action saves the hospital from a considerable financial burden and the ethical dilemma of funding criminal activities. However, she is also reminded by the President of the significant risk she undertook, which could have jeopardized the entire hospital and was chastised.
This scenario poses a critical question: Was Lea’s decision justified, or should she have advised paying the ransom, especially with insurance coverage available? As a seasoned founder and observer of successful CEOs, I’ve learned that such decisions are highly contextual, depending on the risks involved, the organization’s health, the nature of the business, and other factors.
In conclusion, while making these high-stake decisions, remember that they often involve more than a leap of faith. They require a deep understanding of your organization, a clear assessment of the risks, and the courage to act decisively.
