Judgment Calls
By Liberty Books

Great decisions depend on judgment calls, but in a complicated and fast-changing situation (like a modern business), no one leader's knowledge and perspective is sufficient to make them wisely. Some decision-makers have found ways to tap the collective judgment of their people - and leaders of other groups can profit from them. What's the story behind great decisions? Is decision-making the responsibility of one leader or should it rest on the shoulders of the collective team? In "Judgment Calls", authors Tom Davenport and Brooke Manville share twelve stories of organizations that have successfully tapped the diverse perspectives and deep knowledge of their people to build an organizational decision-making capability - a competence they say can make the difference between success and failure. We know great decisions depend on judgment calls; and in today's fast-moving world, there's more pressure than ever to make quicker decisions to keep the organization moving at the speed of business. But the knowledge of one person or one leader isn't always sufficient. So how can you set up a model that taps the collective judgment of a group so that the right decisions are made, and the company profits? Through the stories in Judgment Calls, the authors - seasoned management thinkers and advisors - make the case for the wisdom of organizations and provide guidance for making better use of it. Each chapter is an engaging tale of one dilemma and how it was solved, which brings into high relief one key to collective judgment. Individually the stories inspire and instruct; together they add up to a model for building an organizational capacity. You've read "The Wisdom of Crowds". Now read "Judgment Calls". You, and your organization, will benefit.