Decisions affecting a group should be made by that group.

There are two reasons why this point is crucial. The first is that the knowledge needed to make a good decision, usually resides within the group being affected by the decision. Although very helpful in framing issues and presenting possible alternatives, outside experts, rarely, can become familiar enough with the specific needs of your group to make a better decision than the group itself.

Secondly, the ultimate judges of a decision's soundness are those who live with the results day after day. Any evaluation of options, scoring of candidates, etc. should be done by the group that is the most intimately involved with and affected by the results. A common, and disastrous, result of not involving those affected by change is their rejection of that change either because it doesn't meet their needs or because it is perceived as just another imposed change.