Improve Decision Making
Do you and your management team base your decisions on objective reports and data?
Answer the questions below to find out.
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Does your organization capture relevant data in a timely, accurate, and systematic manner that allows comparison over time?
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Do you routinely review and compare the data with stated objectives and expected outcomes and implement interventions accordingly?
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Do you have mechanisms in place to measure progress as well as unexpected outcomes, both positive and negative?
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Can you identify the data sets and reports you used as the basis for the last ten major decisions you have made?
It’s time to evaluate the effectiveness of your internal data capture and reporting systems if you could not answer “yes” to the above questions. A “no” may indicate that you don’t have the information you need to make the best decisions for your organization. You may be “flying blind” when making potentially big decisions that will affect current and future operations. With the advent of technology, you no longer have to take that risk. To help improve your reporting and decision making processes, consider the suggested resources below.
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Books & Resources
- Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management
 by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton (Harvard Business School Press 2006).
“This book convinced me the time is ripe for an evidence-based management movement. Just as medical decisions are better for patients when they are based on sound evidence, this same idea ought to be applied to management. Understanding the effects of your actions is critical, and both physicians and leaders who take this scientific approach will do a superior job of practicing their craft.”
- David Kessler, MD, Dean of the School of Medicine and Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs, University of California, San Francisco
- Benchmarking For Nonprofits: How To Measure, Manage, And Improve Performance
 by Jason Saul (Fieldstone Alliance 2004).
"An essential companion for anyone trying to thrive in today’s nonprofit sector."
- Ricardo Millet, CEO, Woods Fund
- Please visit our Performance Improvement page to learn how we can help.
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