Making decisions is integral to every manager’s job. MDD explores the kinds of decisions made by general managers (GMs): why they are especially challenging and how to make them well. The course builds on the premise that high-stakes uncertain environments call for high quality conversations, particularly in executive teams, to integrate different perspectives and arrive at the best possible recommendations. We examine cognitive, interpersonal, and organizational factors that thwart effective decision making, and introduce techniques for diagnosing and overcoming predictable pitfalls. Effective managers are self-aware, learning-oriented, and able to draw on and develop others’ skills and knowledge to achieve results. Students will gain access to frameworks and practices to help them develop their potential as effective managers.

The course views management as a crucial activity for enabling coordinated action in pursuit of organizational performance. Our emphasis is on how GMs get things done, through making and guiding both larger and smaller decisions. We show how to use decision making processes more effectively to achieve results and to move their organizations forward. Effective execution hinges on an array of factors—ranging from how a decision-making process is structured to the incentives (formal and informal) of participants—that many managers fail to take into account. But with greater awareness, managers can better influence the design, direction, and functioning of the processes that enable their executive teams and their organizations to succeed. The aim of MDD is to develop students’ understanding of these activities and their links to performance. Throughout, our focus is on high-level processes that are of interest to general managers; for this reason, case protagonists are typically division presidents or higher.

A distinctive feature of the course is the variety of teaching materials that we use, including experiential exercises, simulations, multimedia cases, and visits from case protagonists, in addition to the usual written cases. Settings are varied as well. They include a wide variety of businesses and industries, ranging from startups to large multinationals and from software development to financial services, retailing, and manufacturing, but also feature many non-business protagonists and situations, including presidential taskforces, mountaineering expeditions, wildland fire fighters, hospital administrators, and engineers involved in the space program.

Grading: The course grade will be based on class participation (40 %), completion of several brief reflections, exercises with classmates and a simulation (20 %) and a final exam (40 %). Participation will be evaluated on both frequency and quality. Students are expected to participate regularly and actively in class discussions. Good contributions are those that contain clear, rigorous analysis, present detailed substantive recommendations, describe a thoughtful perspective or point of view, move the discussion forward by posing questions or drawing links between others’ comments, present relevant examples from personal experience or constructively critique positions, sharpen the class’ understanding of issues or deepen an ongoing debate.

Attendance: Absences will be treated as excused only for those reasons authorized by HBS policies. Unexcused absences and lack of preparation will count heavily in grading. If you must miss a class for any reason, please inform your instructor in advance by email.

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