Are you lacking confidence in your decision-making abilities? Leaders often have to make challenging decisions, such as how do we improve employee morale? How do we decrease employee turnover? What needs to happen to ensure employees and stakeholders feel safe to return to work during a pandemic? Great leaders understand how to balance emotion with reason and to make decisions that positively impact their organizations. Making good decisions in difficult situations is no small feat. Change, uncertainty, stress, and anxiety all contribute to this dilemma. The Practical Decision Maker: A Handbook for Decision Making and Problem Solving, 2nd edition will help you achieve a high level of confidence and give you practical tools to make faster and more effective practical decisions. Decision-making has never been more critical, especially for today's leaders. Updates to this new edition include additions to reflect 21st century technology and the divisive times leaders are in today.
Dr. Thomas R. Harvey is professor emeritus in the organizational leadership doctoral program at the University of La Verne. He is the proud author of over 23 books dealing with change, politics, decision making, and building teams. Dr. Sharon M. Corkrum is a retired school district assistant superintendent. The first edition of this book evolved from her dissertation while at the University of La Verne. Dr. Shari L. Fox spent 40 years as a K-12 educator, serving as a teacher, site and district administrator, and superintendent. She continues to serve K-12 educators as an executive coach to site and district administrators and is currently an instructor in the doctoral program at the University of La Verne. Dr. David C. Gustafson has spent the past two decades as a practitioner and leader in K-12 education at both the site and district levels. Dr. Gustafson continues to research, publish, and present on virtual leadership and virtual learning, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Deanna K. Keuilian has been a practitioner in the field of education for over 20 years. She has extensive experience leading a variety of educational initiatives at the K-12 level and serves as an adjunct professor and dissertation committee member in the doctoral program at the University of La Verne.
Preface Introduction Chapter 1: Decision-Making Defined Chapter 2: Core Steps in Decision-Making Chapter 3: Adapting the Core Steps Chapter 4: Use of Structuring Devices Chapter 5: Designing Your Own Road Map for Decision-Making Chapter 6: Structuring Devices Chapter 7: Core Steps in Four Illustrative Cases Chapter 8: Team Facilitation Tips and Techniques Chapter 9: Warning Signs on the Road to Decision-Making Chapter 10: This Stuff Works About the Authors
The Practical Decision Maker has been my secret weapon for twenty-five years, arming me with rational, objective strategies when I'm confronted with complex or highly charged decisions. It's my favorite gift for leaders seeking time-tested methods guaranteed to bring order to chaos in their organizations. -- Dr. Gary Rutherford, retired school superintendent; consultant, Education Support Services (ESS) I am honored and excited to support the second edition of The Practical Decision Maker. As a superintendent of a large public school district, I, along with my associates, have consistently used many of the key concepts, structuring devices, and ideas found in The Practical Decision Maker for almost twenty years. This handbook is a must for any organizational leader or facilitator with the responsibility to bring people together, implement new initiatives, and take the team or organization to the next level. -- Dr. Sam Buenrostro, superintendent, Corona-Norco Unified School District This book is an excellent toolkit for leaders who believe that collaboration is essential to achieve the best decisions. Doctoral students studying transformational leadership cite the first edition of The Practical Decision Maker as a favorite resource for finding creative solutions to real problems. The addition of technology recommendations enhances the usefulness in this new edition! The title of the book says it all-a very practical resource that helps simplify complex decisions. -- Patricia Clark-White, dean and professor, school of education, UMass Global (previously Brandman University) As a nonprofit organization working with school districts, higher education, and business partners developing a regional plan, it can be challenging to lead various stakeholders through the decision making process. The Practical Decision Maker provides leaders with structures and tools to not only reach a decision, but also ensure all members are a part of the process. -- Kim McNulty, vice president of regional strategy, OneFuture Coachella Valley
