The instinct for good judgment

Judgment is the ability to make sensible decisions. It is a prized quality in senior leaders. Many are hired for it. Some are fired for lacking it.

The quality of a leader’s judgment is often assessed by its outcomes. This is unfortunate. Outcomes can be influenced by unforeseen factors. A bad result may not mean bad judgment, nor does a good result prove good judgment.

Moreover, relying on good outcomes as the yardstick would just motivate leaders to play safe. Who wants to be dull and bland?

Dull and bland? No thanks.

Regardless, leaders are accountable for outcomes. That starts with ensuring we own the judgment that leads to those outcomes. And our judgment is truly ours only when it comes from our instincts.

– “I have a feeling this will not end well”

- “I trust my gut”

- “Thank goodness I didn’t listen to you”

We’ve all heard leaders utter these statements. We’ve thought or said the same ourselves. That is our instinct speaking.

What gives our instinct its voice, and how can it guide us towards good judgment? I’ve learnt to pay attention to three inter-related things: My Trade, My Tribe, and My True Self.

My Trade

My trade is my domain expertise, profession, or technical qualifications. It’s basically the thing(s) I do for which I’m known and paid.

My trade is where my specialist knowledge and experience stand out. It is where my instinct on what to do is the strongest. Knowing what my trade is allows me to act quickly and accurately about things I know.

Understanding my trade also means recognising the limits of my competencies. That heightens my awareness of where and when I’m out of my depth and need help. I do more research. I consult subject matter experts. Or I simply take more time to think things through.

My Tribe

My tribe comprises two groups of people: Those who can help me exercise judgment, and those who will be affected by my judgment.

As a leader, I rely on colleagues to help me make good decisions. I look for diversity in my teams and leverage on their expertise. Each tribe member should bring skills, plus their personality, as complements to the others’. Together, we see things more completely and take wiser decisions.

The instincts of a diverse tribe.

Having strong trust-based relationships is critical. Leaders must often make decisions with incomplete knowledge. Knowing that tribe members trust each other emboldens me to find creative solutions despite uncertainty.

My tribe also includes friends and contacts in my personal and professional networks. One blessing from an eclectic career like mine is to know an unusually heterogenous group of professionals. They are the ones I call when I have questions I can’t answer.

My family and trusted friends are at the centre of my tribe. They call out my nonsense and keep me grounded. Why is this important? Because pride dulls my instinct for good judgment.

People who will be affected by my judgment are also part of my tribe.

If it’s an HR issue, I consider how my judgment might affect employees. If it’s a sales problem, I think of our customers. If it’s a procurement matter, I imagine how our suppliers might be impacted. In each scenario, I try to empathise with the humans behind the business titles.

My True Self

My true self encompasses all the things I need to stay healthy and alert. Being in good shape keeps my instinct sharp.

It starts with the physical. Am I eating appropriately, exercising regularly, and sleeping well? Do I attend promptly to unusual aches or pains? Have I been keeping up with annual health checks?

Next, my mental, spiritual and emotional state. My ideal day starts with rising early for an hour in meditation, prayer and contemplation, followed by morning mass at my church. No phone, no newspapers, no breakfast until I accomplish the preceding.

I rarely succeed in all parts of this routine. But I keep trying nevertheless. The more parts I can fit in, the more clear-headed I feel for the judgment calls I need to make.

My true self is also about my values and beliefs. What do I treasure and why? Whom do I love? What am I willing to forego? If I am honest with myself, the answers would be instinctive. I consider how these answers sit with how I treat my tribe and how I pursue my trade.

Free your instinct to make your best judgment calls

The more senior a leader becomes, the more it is that they are valued and hired for their judgment.

Your instinct is what makes your judgment yours. No one else has the same.

I have offered my thoughts on how I keep my instinct sharp. I hope these ideas will serve your judgment calls as they have served mine.

Your instinct in control.

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I am a Board Director and Leadership Advisor. I help CEOs and teams succeed through good leadership practices. Because good leadership matters.