January 2007

 

In recent discussions with executives about the leadership traits they look for and value in direct reports, judgment has surfaced most frequently as the trait of choice. Sound judgment has at least two dimensions to it. The first is more character based. Some leaders just seem to make better decisions on a wide range of strategic and day-to-day issues. Good judgment is part of the fabric of who they are.

The second dimension of judgment is more competency based. Leaders who posses certain judgment competencies have more team and organizational success. Good general judgment, combined with important judgment competencies, can elevate leaders and accelerate careers. Our experience suggests four distinct judgment competencies that can be audited for and confirmed in any leader’s experience.

Involvement and Support: There are no silos today when it comes to launching initiatives, driving change, and controlling costs. Organizational life is steeped in matrix relationships and unspoken interdependencies. Successful leaders have mastered the art of inclusion. They know the right levels and numbers of staff to engage in collaboration to achieve superior results, and frequently credit their successes to these group efforts.

Escalation and Advocacy: As one leader summarized it, "Good political judgment in the organization requires anticipating reactions or support two levels above you—at all times!” Paying attention to the winds of interest, opportunity, and risk at the higher levels of the organization is essential to gaining resources and approvals. Time-tested leaders use presentations, one-on-one conversation, and sound ROI thinking to manage up well. 

Talent Utilization: Effective leaders demonstrate sound judgment regarding the capabilities and contributions of staff. This competency may manifest itself in hiring complementary talent, repositioning staff, making special assignments, and transitioning talent whose skill set is no longer advancing organizational objectives. Proactive leaders know the value of talent and the added value of leveraging the strengths of staff.

Damage Control: Strategic leaders can spot a disaster in the making, whether it is in an email, hallway conversation, quarterly report, or customer complaint. Judging which fires to fight and how soon to fight them is critical to managing a more complex organization. Savvy leaders will always have a few recent stories to tell about heading off a potentially explosive situation.

¨¨¨¨¨

Both character-based and competency-based judgments are essential ingredients in organizational leadership. The first wins trust. The second delivers value. The absence of one or both becomes a crippling ingredient in leadership success that talent, education, and drive may not overcome.

Call us, we can help.

Personal Service.  Consistently Delivered.  Worldwide.    
When You Need Us. . . We’ll Be Here. 

Phone:  952.525.1475            
            
Email:  Organizational-Innovations@oipartners.net