[November 21, 2014] One advantage humans possess – that makes us unique in the animal kingdom – is the ability to make judgments. In the absence of complete information, a human can draw conclusions and form opinions; making leaps of logic that other animals simply cannot do, and we can do it very fast. While this is a good thing in itself, we sometimes rush to judgment … jumping to conclusions without having all the relevant facts and, consequently, we risk making significant errors in judgment.
These risks are a problem and can lay waste to a leader’s reputation and career, or to someone else’s reputation and career. It can destroy relationships, organizations, and even countries. What can a leader do when the risks of making judgments potentially have a serious detrimental effect? There are several things to keep in mind when making judgments. Most important among the issues to consider is the time available for a judgment to be made, the significance of the impact of the judgment, and the risks involved.
“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.” – Will Rogers
Let’s remember that the human brain fills in the blanks (missing information) with previous learning, not with facts. An experienced person can distinguish facts from the filler and use this to temper their judgment. Here are a few things that will help with making good judgments and avoid rushing into a decision, drawing a conclusion, or forming an opinion:
- Remain unemotional. Emotion is one of the quickest ways to rush into something without having all the necessary details.
- Avoid locking in a judgment too early. If there is time, then gather the facts, review them logically, and wait until a judgment is required before making one. There is no reward for an early judgment.
- Verify all assumptions when possible. Making assumptions is one of the greatest downfalls of leaders. Take great care that any assumption made is realistic at a minimum. Do your homework and gather the facts.
- Information is not perfect, tread carefully. Often the information we receive is contradictory or confusing. We are often told that “things are not as they appear.” Heed this warning, caution is warranted.
- Beware of groupthink. People are prone to base their judgments on the judgments of others. This is a trap that is not easily avoided.
- Solicit the opinions and feedback of others who are respected. Those that have experiences in your situation can lend value to helping leaders formulate an unbiased judgment.
- Forecast the consequences of your judgment. There will always be an impact when a leader makes a decision. Attempt to predict what the outcome will be of that judgment. This means doing your best to predict the future.
A current example of rushing to judgment is the Ferguson, Missouri case where a white policeman shot a young black man. Many in the community believe that the policeman was wrong and should be tried and convicted. Yet, the information necessary to make this judgment is not yet publically available. Some have said that the police officer should not be given justice because he murdered a black youth in cold blood. The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police has written a letter to the editor asking the community “Don’t Rush to Judgment in Ferguson.”1
There will always be the emotional pull to rush to make a judgment when the repercussions can violate our humanity, our ethical standards, or rule of law. Great care should be exercised by leaders when making a judgment; the penalty for failure can be quite high.
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