Agency leaders face an endless stream of decisions—large and small, expected and unexpected, long-term and highly urgent—each carrying meaningful consequences for their organizations and stakeholders. TRB hosted a webinar on Thursday, March 12, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Eastern that highlighted insights from NCHRP Research Report 1162: Advancing the Art and Science of Decision-Making: A Guide, which blends practical guidance, real-world experiences from transportation agency executives, and findings from cognitive science to support stronger, more intentional leadership decisions. The session explored the foundations of human decision-making and examined practical strategies for navigating common challenges in complex environments. Presenters defined key decision-making principles, shared case studies drawn from real-world leadership situations, and discussed how executives approached and resolved those decisions.
This webinar was sponsored by TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program.
The slides are available. 
 
Webinar agenda and presenters

• Foundations of good decisions and how we decide – Kyle Schneweis, High Street Consulting
• Agency decisions in the real world – Kirk Steudle, Steudle Executive Group
• Question and answer session moderated by Anna Batista, High Street Consulting

The first 40 minutes of the webinar were for presentations and the final 20 minutes were reserved for audience questions.
 
Learning Objectives
At the end of this webinar, participants can:

• Define the foundations of decision-making and distinguish the characteristics of a “good” decision
• Apply practical strategies to improve decision-making across a range of leadership situations
• Analyze real-world decision scenarios faced by agency leaders and identify approaches they used to navigate difficult situations

 
Professional Development Hours
This webinar was delivered as a scheduled – e-learning live event and is categorized within RCEP as Technical, Health and Safety.
Professional Development Hours (PDHs) earned on completion of this program were reported to the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Certificates of Completion are issued to all participants via the RCEP.net online system. Complaints about registered providers may be addressed to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Fl., Washington, DC, 20005.