Zeckhauser, B. & Sandoski, A. (2008). How the wise decide: The lessons of 21 extraordinary leaders. New York: Crown Business.

Zeckhauser, B. & Sandoski, A. (2008). How the wise decide: The lessons of 21 extraordinary leaders. New York: Crown Business.

Explicating their six principles of effective decision-making, Zeckhauser and Sandoski cited numerous examples as substantiation. The deliberations of Bill Reilly, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, on whether or not to approve the Two Forks Dam in Colorado supported the author’s premise to “make vision your daily guide” (p. 115). According to this account, Bill Reilly, previously the president of the World Wildlife Fund, faced the decision to acquiesce to prevailing political, environmental, and community pressure and approve the $1 billion project. Reilly’s vision of water resources in the west contradicted the basic assumptions of the project. “The project did not square with his vision for environmentally sound development. Sustain don’t change, important environmental areas without a compelling need” (p. 115). Furthermore, Reilly foresaw a transition from water storage development to water management in the semi-arid state of Colorado. Despite Bureau of Reclamation endorsement, Reilly applied section 404C of the Clean Water Act to veto the project.

An appointee of President George H. W. Bush, Reilly incurred the consternation of Lee Atwater, the head of the Republican Party, and the western press. Silent dissenters of the dam, however, emerged from the public and Reilly’s staff to applaud the action.

Note: The authors did not disclose the sources of this account.