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.
About the Author
Thomas H. Davenport is a leading management thinker and a professor at Babson College. He is the author of eleven books, including Competing on Analytics. He lives in Dover, Massachusetts, USA. Brook Manville is an independent consultant, and has previously served as CLO for Saba Software and the United Way of America. He was also formerly the chief knowledge officer at McKinsey & Company. He lives in Bethseda, Maryland, USA.
Industry Reviews
"provides a convincing illustration...laying out a usable model...in the area of collaborative decision making." -- CIO Digest "Judgment Calls makes a strong effort to raise decision making into less of an individual basis and more of a cultural practice within a team. It makes a solid follow up to analytic books such as Jim Sterne's Social Media Metrics, Performance Marketing with Google Analytics, and of course, one of Davenport's earlier books Analytics at Work." -- Small Business Trends (smallbiztrends.com) "Judgment Calls is driven by the 12 stories, each of which ends with reflections on how the organization successfully made the decision. "...it does offer ideas for judgment calls at your own workplace." -- The Globe & Mail "It is...wonderful to have Judgment Calls: Twelve Stories of Big Decisions and the Teams That Got Them Right by Thomas H. Davenport and Brook Manville with twelve magnificently diverse parables of instances where good judgment was exercised and an organization "got it right" -- Forbes.com Selected as one of "PW's Top 10: Business Books." -- Publisher's Weekly "Those who have the opportunity to re-shape any organization of any size, the way it works and develops, and the way people lead and can be led more effectively will find great ideas and encouragement in this book. It is worth reading and re-reading." -- HR Zone ADVANCE PRAISE for Judgment Calls: "By integrating the lessons of twelve momentous decisions with a freshly imaginative perspective, Judgment Calls is a foundational contribution to the art and science of decision making." -- Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration, University of Southern California; author, Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership How leaders and organizations approach decision-making is one of the most critical variables to succeeding. Judgment Calls is a must read for anyone that wants to ensure that their organization is using effective decision-making as strategic and competitive advantage. -- Allan C. Golston, President, U.S. Program, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation "Tom Davenport and Brook Manville have brilliantly written a collection of stories that provide both the proof and the guidance needed for organizations to make better decisions that depend on the skills, knowledge, and judgments of groups, rather than the oversold myth of individual heroics, which is ill suited for our ambiguous and fast-changing world." -- Douglas K. Smith, coauthor, The Wisdom of Teams and The Discipline of Teams "Judgment Calls illustrates how nurturing an analytics culture improves organizational judgment and translates into better outcomes. Every leader can benefit from the 'iterative, deliberative decision processes' highlighted in the case studies. Combining analytical insights and stories of collaboration among executives, engineers, marketers, partners, and customers, this book provides a winning formula for making more creative and innovative decisions." -- Jim Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, SAS; coauthor, Information Revolution: Using the Information Evolution Model to Grow Your Business "This is a book that stands up to common sense, while breaking through the age-old image of hero decision makers. In story after story, the authors show how great decisions in a wide range of industry situations have required and benefited from many perspectives and iterations over extended periods of time." -- Jon R. Katzenbach, Senior Partner, Booz & Company "At last! A business book that's smart and great fun to read. Every leader--especially aspiring leaders--needs to read this book." -- Alan M. Webber, cofounder, Fast Company; author, Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business Without Losing Your Self
