Making Decisions

Important decisions are made daily that impact student learning and the experiences of the learning community.  When we sit down to make a decision together it is important to be thorough and clear or else the decision might not match vision, goals and objectives, and the decision might be relayed in ways that are not consistent or clear.  What are the important questions and actions involved in decision making?  I've suggested a short list.

• What is the decision?
• Who is impacted by the decision, and are they included in the decision making?
• What is the decision making process and goal? Is the goal inline with system mission/vision and current cognitive/educational research.
• When will the decisions be made; and how will the decisions be communicated?
• How and when will we evaluate the decisions we make?  How will we revise and rewrite decisions when needed?
• Who will carry out the decisions? Are roles, routines, and structures related to the decision well defined. 

Optimal communities take care when making decisions. They take into account many points of view and keep decisions focused on the identified objectives, goals, and vision.  These organizations keep the decisions in the forefront, and adapt along the way to meet goals.

Making decisions is a critical component of any organization's success, and it's imperative that care, transparency and analysis are involved.

Note: Post updated 5/18/2015