How Is Your Judgment?

How do you define judgment, and what factors do you consider most indicative and telling? What have you done to develop your wisdom, ability to analyze and interpret, judge situations, individuals, procedures, techniques and ideas? Do you enjoy being the decision maker, or would you prefer to defer that to others, and simply be a follower? Do you prefer to be a leader, trusting that you are more capable of making the best decisions, or do you doubt your own abilities and judgment? Do you judge situations and understand the possible ramifications and alternatives? Do you prefer to be proactive, or are you merely reactive? Do you plan sufficiently so that you can make decisions based on facts and reasoning, or do you wait, often procrastinating, and putting off making a judgment until you have to?

1. Judgment can either be good, bad, or somewhere in between. However, when someone simply waits and procrastinates, that is almost always an indication of far less than stellar judgment. Procrastination is generally an indication of either insecurity or fear. It takes courage, self confidence, and personal motivation to make a decision, but it also requires a commitment to training, learning, self improvement, and the desire to be the best that you can be, to actually show judgment.

2. Judgment does not mean that you must be the most intellectually gifted, although no doubt a certain level of intellect generally enhances one's judgment. However, often those with the highest IQ, and the most schooling and education, do not exhibit the greatest judgment. Great judgment also requires certain tangible, as well as certain intangible qualities. The tangible assets include learning, experience, focus, desire and motivation, as well as commitment. The intangible characteristics come from one's viable vision, and how that translates to actual goals, as well as the motivation to persist and persevere, and the courage to make well thought out decisions, when others often defer. Judgment is a combination of numerous characteristics, disciplines, beliefs, ideals, etc. However, for a judgment to be pure and positive, it also requires absolute integrity.

There has never been a truly productive individual who did not develop a methodology to enhance his abilities and judgment. It all begins with both knowing, as well as liking ones self. Judgment comes from someone being comfortable with his abilities, confident in his beliefs, and willing to openly examine any and all alternatives that might make him better.