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Hi,

Life has been very hectic so I did not have time to respond to Edryce's post
of 11/12 which raised some interesting point related to the issues I had hope
would become the focus of the discussion that was started by my original
posting.

Below is most of Edryce's message with my comments interspersed in caps - not
to shout, of course, but to make it easier to see and distinguish them.

I hope others will join in, if possible keeping the same focus.

Erwin (Rausch) didacticra@aol.com  and erausch@kean.edu

Edryce wrote:

First, management curricula seem to be based on an assumption that all
students will become managers.  This seems to be an especially strong assumption
that MBA students often make.  MY CONCERN IS THAT THEY SHOULD BE COMPETENT IN
MAKING LEADERSHIP DECISIONS IN ALL SITUATIONS WHEN THEY ARE CALLED ON TO MAKE
THEM - IN THEIR PROFESSIONS, ON TEAMS, WITH RESPECT TO ISSUES IN MEETINGS, IN
THEIR HOBBIES AND IN THEIR CONGREGATIONS, EVEN IN THEIR FAMILIES. IT SEEMS
ENTIRELY POSSIBLE (I HAVE DONE IT), TO ISOLATE A SET OF UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE
COMPREHENSIVE CONSIDERATION GROUPS THAT CAN BEST BE REPRESENTED BY A FEW
QUESTIONS. WHEN LEARNERS COME TO UNDERSTAND SUCH A SET OF QUESTIONS AND LEARN TO APPLY
THEM TO EVERY DECISION WITH IMPACT ON STAKEHOLDERS, THEN THEY WILL MAKE
CONSIDERABLY MORE THOROUGH AND EFFECTIVE DECISIONS THAT CONSIDER ALL RELEVANT
ISSUES. AND THEY WILL LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT LIE BEHIND THE
QUESTIONS (AS PRESENTED IN THE ENTIRE LITERATURE ON MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP
THEORIES) The fact is, they WILL NOT become managers, certainly not immediately. 
An important question should be addressed in the curriculum:  what can we do
to become "leaders" even when we have no official "authority"?  THE HABIT TO
ASK THESE QUESTIONS WILL MAKE THE LEARNERS INTO BETTER LEADERS WHEN THEY MAY OR
ARE EXPECTED TO ASSUME A LEADERSHIP ROLE - IN FACT, JUST ASKING ONE OR TWO OF
THESE QUESTIONS - THOSE WHICH ARE BEING IGNORED YET WHOSE ISSUES ARE
ESPECIALLY RELEVANT, WILL AUTOMATICALLY PROPEL THE QUESTIONER INTO SOMEWHAT OF A
LEADERSHIP ROLE - AND WILL BRING A POSITIVE IMAGE, ESPECIALLY IF IT HAPPENS
REGULARLY OR AT LEAST FROM TIME TO TIME This issue is not addressed as far as I can
tell.  My MBA is now 10 years old, though, so maybe things have changed.

Second, someone once said, "What gets rewarded gets done."  I agree
generally, and students are no exception.  The majority will take a look at what is
required and decide what it takes to make the grade they want. 
Learning/thinking/decision making/problem solving/etc. take a back seat to the grade.  If an
instructor/professor wants students to think about things, then somehow it has
to be related to a grade or a student will generally not do it. THERE SHOULD
BE NO PROBLEM TO RELATE THE TYPE OF CRITICAL THINKING THAT A SET OF QUESTION
STIMULATE, TO THE CLASS GRADE

We do have courses in decision making in the curriculum, don't we? THEY ARE
AL MOST EXCLUSIVELY ORIENTED TOWARD PROCEDURAL AND MATHEMATICAL FORMULAE,
RATHER THAN TOWARD ENSURING THAT ALL RELEVANT ISSUES ARE CONSIDERED - ESPECIALLY
THE ISSUES THAT ARE UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE, AND NOT SPECIFIC TO A TECHNICAL
DISCIPLINE.

Third, most students who went straight from high school to college, then to
grad school have NO experience in a workgroup.  How could they be expected to
know how to think critically about issues that seem to cry out for experience? 
LEARNING AND PRACTICING A SET OF UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE QUESTIONS, GRADUALLY
MODIFYING IT TO BETTER FIT THEIR NEEDS, AND DEVELOPING THE HABIT TO USE THEM
REGULARLY, WILL BRING THE COMPETENCE TO THINK CRITICALLY AND MAKE EFFECTIVE
DECISIONS IN UNFAMILIAR SITUATIONS Also, some instructors have had little or no
experience other than teaching.  That is a definite drawback to the entire
process. INSTRUCTORS COULD EASILY LEARN (AND ADAPT IF THEY WISH) A SET OF
UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE, AND ACTIONABLE QUESTIONS, AND HELP LEARNERS APPLY THEM.

Fourth, the "dumbing down" of students in the US grows apace.  Students
cannot be blamed for what has happened to them prior to college and grad school. 
"Waking them up" is a massive job!  THE BENEFITS OF ASKING QUESTIONS, THAT
EMERGE, CAN SERVE AS MOTIVATORS FOR MANY EVEN SOME THAT NOW -- Many refuse to wake
up - it has served them well to do what's required and no more, so why
change?

Fifth, "the problem" consists almost entirely of MANAGERS in the workplace,
not theory, or how well prepared students are.  As an example, I am a "worker"
in a situation, and my manager does not encourage critical thinking.  The
manager gives a clear directive that we are to remain in our "boxes" and not get
out of it.  The challenge here is to try to find ways to "educate" that
manager, and that is one gigantic task!  THE 'WORKER' ASKING APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS
WILL HELP TO EDUCATE HER/HIS MANAGER. AND IF SEVERAL 'WORKERS' DO THAT, THERE
DEVELOPS A STRONG SYNERGISTIC EFFECT. So it doesn't matter that in my MBA
program I learned all these neat things; I can't use them!  Students of today
should have experience (simulations) of such real life situations so that they know
how to "lead" even from below.

Last, I buy Gary's approach of asking questions rather than presenting
answers.  HEAR, HEAR! As a consultant, that seems to be the best way to proceed. 
As a teacher/instructor/professor, though, what indeed is the best way to
proceed?  SAME THING, I THINK. It's not easy. THAT'S TRUE. BUT THEN WHAT IS THAT
IS WORTHWHILE IN LIFE?

Colleagues,

Erwin wrote that he had developed, "A SET OF UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE
COMPREHENSIVE CONSIDERATION GROUPS THAT CAN BEST BE REPRESENTED BY A FEW
QUESTIONS."

Erwin, would you share more about what a consideration group is?
Perhaps share examples?

Best,

Gary

----------------------------
Innovation and Branding - done Strategically

Gary Lundquist - The Accelerator
Market Engineering International
303-840-9929 www.market-engineering.com
garyl@market-engineering.com

Making and keeping satisfied customers,
at a profit, over time,
in a competitive environment.

Gary wrote:

"Erwin, would you share more about what a consideration group is?
    Perhaps share examples?"

A most reasonable request.

The groups pertain to major responsibilities of managers and leaders (leaders
in all organizational situations - managers with and without staff, leading
on an issue in a meeting, taking a leadership role on a project, leading in
avocational pursuits, leading in family matters, etc.)

These responsibilities are:

1. Leading toward determining desirable outcome conditions and setting
appropriate goals

2. Practicing APPROPRIATE participation

3. Ensuring appropriate communications in all relevant direction, by all who
have something that should be communicated

4. Ensuring that the needed competence is available

5. Guiding toward a satisfying climate

6. Ensuring coordination and stimulating cooperation

7. Leading toward appropriate norms

8. Ensuring appropriate follow-up

As is probably obvious from the repeated 'appropriate', each of the questions
that can be derived from these responsibilities involve some or even many
issues that deserve consideration. Just asking the questions will, by itself
lead toward more comprehensive decisions that are likely to be better than would
be made without the questions. Chances are that, if you ask someone to make a
decision, or ask about a decision to be made, and then ask the 8 questions,
the decision-maker will find some or several ways to improve the decided-on
course of action.

However, the deeper the understanding of the detailed considerations (issues)
that lie behind the brief statements, and support them (that is why I call
them groups of considerations) the more likely that the most effective decision
is made, within the limits imposed by the circumstances, including the
available information and knowledge about the uncertainties that lie ahead.

I hope this answer is sufficiently clear and adequate, and that you can see
how, educational and developmental programs based on them can bring more
effective learning courses/programs that bring actionable knowledge and skills.

Erwin (Rausch) didacticra@aol.com  and erausch@kean.edu

Colleagues,

For an academic group, we've gone a long way without defining our terms.

Erwin defined his "consideration groups". I then found myself asking how
those considerations fit into a larger philosophy of decision making.

From there, I found myself asking other questions and realizing that I
needed specific definitions. I welcome evolution and extension of these
definitions.


Decision: A choice of one option from a suite of options. Binary decisions
choose from just two options, such as yes/no, go/no-go.

NOTE: Decisions occur in flows. Choosing questions to ask is as important
as choosing answers. Choosing questions largely determines the cluster of
possible answers. Answers often lead to new questions, and so on.

Informed decision: One based on a sufficient quantity and combination of
data, information, knowledge, and wisdom.

Intelligent decision: One made consciously according to a rational process.

Emotional decision: One made, sometimes unconsciously, under the influence
of emotions.

Decision maker: The person or group of persons who makes the decision.

Decision context: Background information that helps to crystallize
options.

Decision environment: In groups, the norms and conditions established to
enable effective, productive decisions.

Decision support: Methods for gathering, sorting, prioritizing, and
otherwise managing information to answer questions and enable decisions.
Decision support may be automated, human services, and combinations thereof.
Support processes abound. Indeed, whole disciplines of science and business
can be seen as purely decision support. Research, for example. Accounting,
for example.

Due diligence: Painstaking development of information about known options.

Decision process: A method for making a specific decision. Processes
abound, both broadly applicable and very decision specific.

Consensus-forcing process: A method for ranking lists of options through
the input of several or many people.


I tend to put Erwin's consideration groups into "decision environment."
That is, consideration of objectives, participation, communication,
competence, climate, coordination, norms, and follow-up are all part of
defining and sustaining resources and culture for effective decisions.
I would extend Erwin's considerations to include empowerment. The
environment must allow asking and answering the truly tough questions.

In terms of quality and timeliness of decision, environment is one of
several criteria to consider.
Empowering environment
Choices of questions to answer (a form of decision making)
Appropriate due diligence (involves decisions)
Appropriate process leading to the nominal decision
Action on made decisions

Of course, the world is not linear. Every decision leads to other
decisions. Every answer leads to other questions. We need to see questions,
diligence, and process working in loops, not lines. Questions lead to
answers lead to questions, ... forever. Decisions lead to actions lead to
questions lead to decisions lead to actions... forever.

It is fortunate that some knowledge has durable value. Otherwise, we would
have to keep answering the same questions over and over. Human progress
depends on asking and answering new questions from a foundation of (more or
less) confidence in certain knowledge.

Best,

Gary


----------------------------
Innovation and Branding - done Strategically

Gary Lundquist - The Accelerator
Market Engineering International
303-840-9929 www.market-engineering.com
garyl@market-engineering.com

Making and keeping satisfied customers,
at a profit, over time,
in a competitive environment.