Andre
As individuals, we make judgment calls every day, every time. The weight of the word judgment could easily make anyone pass it off as a duty reserved for judges and juries in the court or better still for God.
But we as individuals – our position in life today and where we’ll be tomorrow – is a sun of our personal judgment. The choices you make represent a reflection of your judgment as a person.
From matters as trivial as what eatery has the best food and which pair of shoes matches your new jeans to weighty discussions about who’s the best candidate to be hired for a vacant role, we see a daily pattern of endless judgments.
Without a doubt, judgments make us, and we depend on judgments almost every step along the way. Every day, we make several judgments, sometimes without much thought. Some judgments require us to consult people and do research before concluding.
For instance, if you’re a project manager for a building project, the quality of the finished work will depend largely on the quality of your judgments as the manager of that project.
The judgments we make drive our decisions daily. Unlike well-informed decisions, poor judgments will bring a cascade of unfavorable consequences our way.
Therefore, some bit of wisdom and experience or consultation is required to make sound judgments. If making judgments is this crucial to us as individuals and a community, how then do we make sound judgments?
First, we must understand and embrace the importance and relevance of judgments in our lives. This will shape how we think and approach our judgment calls. The process can make one feel overwhelmed.
If you ever find yourself in such a situation, you can quickly check back to see the points highlighted below. These are important facts that are worth keeping at the back of your mind when it comes to making sound judgments.
#1. Seek For the Opinion Of Others
You already know this. The little decisions that you’ve made throughout the day do somehow depend on the opinions of other people. Most times, you can’t go wrong by asking for the input of others. The final two candidates in an interview process are perfect for the job, but HR can only employ one of them.
The truth is, no one knows it all, no matter how experienced you are. Asking others for help does not mean that you won’t make the decision. It simply lets you see things from the perspective of other people.
You may also ask for their judgments if they were to be in the same position as you. The beauty of this is that you are now more comfortable in your skin as you make that decision. This strategy is particularly helpful in situations where the consequence of that judgment seems heavy. The energy you need often comes like this.
#2 Ask Yourself If You Really Need To Make That Decision
Evaluate to be sure if you really need to make that decision. Can someone else do a better job? Why are you so terrified of the outcome? If you are a leader, these are questions that you need to answer quite often.
The decision-making burden is removed from your shoulders when you delegate. Also, it allows you to focus on other important tasks, while you leave the little tasks for your subordinates to handle. Chances are, they’ll make even better judgments than you have done.
#3 Keep Your Eyes On The Ball
It’s amazing how we start evaluating a situation and end up getting stuck in the middle of the decision-making process. Some people realize that their minds are already dealing with a barrage of unrelated and irrelevant facts.
It, therefore, requires some effort from the person bearing the responsibility of deciding to stay focused on the main point or goal. This is known as the ‘anchoring effect’, and it mostly occurs when we do not have enough information to make a decision.
The mind, therefore, is swayed in several wrong directions. Overcoming this barrier to making sound judgment partly involves making more research or consulting friends who are in your circle.
#4 Understand Whether You Need To Make A Decision Now Or Later
Some decisions require immediate attention, while others do not necessarily require instant interventions. You need to understand the time constant of the decision facing you. Otherwise, you’ll end up in many errors if you make hasty judgments.
Taking your time to review your response and seek counsel before deciding is as important as the decision itself.
If the decision does not require immediate action, you should take the necessary precautions and allow yourself some time to come up with a befitting decision.
#5 Keep Honing Your Judgement Skills
We make judgments every time throughout the day, so there are ample opportunity and time to improve your skills.
You can learn from your mistakes every day, from others, and as we get old. We get wiser, better, and more experienced at making sound judgment.
But we must keep an open mind. You should do what’s in your power to approach every new task with a plainly curious disposition until you’ve gathered enough information. With constant practice, you’ll get better at asking sound judgment.
Conclusion
Making decisions is key, but it depends on how good our ability to make sound judgments is. There are tips to help everyone learn and become better at making sound judgment. With constant practice and learning, you can learn to make better and finer decisions.
