“The Four Rs of High-Stakes Decision Making”

Decisiveness is often cited as a desirable trait in leaders. But being able to make a decision isn't the only thing that matters. Effectiveness depends on when and how the decision is made, not just that it was made.

As the director of research at the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, Eric J. McNulty has observed and interviewed leaders in the response to crises such as the H1N1 pandemic, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Superstorm Sandy, and the Boston Marathon bombings.

McNulty explains that such h.....