We all like to think we make good decisions, especially in our
areas of expertise or specialty. But on what basis?
Sometimes it’s simply a gut feeling. “I’ve
been doing this for a long time, I know my stuff, and I know what
makes sense in this situation.”
Government decision making, however, requires a degree of
rigour, coupled with subtlety, not seen in many other areas. Above
all, it calls for the balancing of public and private interest,
generally in the context of a legal framework.
Good government decision makers are skilled at balancing four
distinct requirements:
- Legal demands or requirements
- Objectives of government policy
- Public expectations and those created by the government
authority
