A perspective on judgment traits in leadership

1. AN ERROR OF
JUDGEMENT?

2. “Evidence is telling us that
soft skills can be the
difference for both individual
and organisational success.”
Brian Kleinsmith UCT-GSB News Letter
Brian Kleinsmith is Programme Director of the Critical Skills short course
running at the UCT Graduate School of Business.

3. WHAT ARE THESE SOFT SKILLS?
Self-awareness, leadership skills,
team-building skills,
communication and good
listening, diplomacy, problem-
solving skills, creativity and
flexibility, amongst others

4. LEADERSHIP TRAITS
A leader takes a stand, addresses
the problem, considers various
solutions, applies her mind,
exercises judgement
and moves forward…

5. WHAT EXACTLY IS JUDGEMENT?
judgement  n. the ability to
make sound decisions or form
sensible opinions
(Oxford Dictionary)

6. WHAT EXACTLY IS JUDGEMENT?
The ability to judge, make a
decision, or form an opinion
objectively, authoritatively, and
wisely, esp. in matters affecting
action; good sense (Dictionary.com)

7. WHAT EXACTLY IS JUDGEMENT?
The cognitive process of reaching
a decision or drawing
conclusions (Websters Dictionary)

8. SOME QUESTIONS…
• How important is knowledge?
• What is “suitable” experience?
• What is “desired” skill level?
• Is fast tracking sustainable?
• How complex are enterprises?
• Generalist vs. Specialist?

9. EXAMPLES? TOO MANY…!
• The Titanic
• Numerous aircraft crashes
• Road accidents
• Company blunders
• Failed relationships
• Manager “mistakes”

11. LATEST RESEARCH FINDINGS
• Over-confidence erodes sound
judgement
• Firms will have to implement
programmes that focus on
creative problem solving (Services SETA PESTEL
Report 2008 pg. 19)

12. LATEST RESEARCH FINDINGS
Work means constant
redefinition, multi-skilling, and
higher learning (Services SETA PESTEL Report 2008 pg. 23)

13. LATEST RESEARCH FINDINGS
Cognitive psychology is the basic
science that explores how people
reason, formulate judgements
and make decisions.

14. LATEST RESEARCH FINDINGS
The recurrent observation is that
people make mistakes when they
encounter complex problems.

15. LATEST RESEARCH FINDINGS
The distinctive finding is that
everyday situations are often
sufficiently complex to elicit
mistakes. Some mistakes are
made repeatedly by most people.
Drs. Redelmeier, Tu, Hux and Schull are with the Department of Medicine and Drs. Redelmeier, Ferris, Tu
and Hux are with the Departments of Health Administration and Public Health Sciences, University of
Toronto, Toronto, Ont. All the authors are with the Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care
Research, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont.

16. AN EXAMPLE FROM FORESTRY

17. STRICT FELLING LAWS

18. SAFETY FIRST

19. ALL RULES APPLY….
No margin for error!
UNTIL THE WIND BLOWS…

20. THE SECRET IS…JUDGEMENT
• An element of leadership
• Seated in problem solving
• Influenced by emotion
• Measured by psychometrics
• An extremely scarce attribute

21. THE (HR) RISK IS…COMPLACENCY
Satisficing, a "handy blended word combining
satisfy with suffice.”
Illusion of control eg. Placebo buttons

22. HOW TO CULTIVATE SOUND JUDGEMENT
Adequate job-related
experiences-managed and
controlled multiple experiences
• Structured support and then
gradually wean
• Be cautious of fast- tracking

23. HOW TO CULTIVATE SOUND JUDGEMENT
• Lead by example
• Apply structured succession
• Coach, coach, coach
• Allow for “safe” mistakes
• Never miss an opportunity
to…SHUT UP!

24. HOW DO WE LEARN?
• Honey and Mumford learning styles
• Kolbs
• Repetition
• Rote
• Understanding
• Having fun
• Demings P-D-C-A

26. THE ROLE OF JUDGMENT IN MANAGER
DEVELOPMENT
• True learning is driven my motivation
• True learning takes place in a pleasant
environment: in the mind or in the
workplace.
• True learning is accompanied by discomfort
• True learning never stagnates
Teach me, show me, allow me to do it, give
me feedback=learning

27. THE ROLE OF JUDGMENT IN
MANAGER DEVELOPMENT
• Sustainable manager development (SMD) is
a slow, methodical, systemic process
• SMD should form part of a proper
succession plan
• SMD should be accompanied by specific
coaching (as per KPA) and supportive
mentoring

28. WHAT DO WE NEED IN OUR
ORGANIZATIONS?
• Mature, emotionally intelligent managers
• Structured MDP with individual
accountability
• Sound succession plans based on
Individual Development Plans
• Formal alignment with strategic intent

29. Workplace
Task
Manager

30. Why don’t we have this in some of our
organizations?
• Corporate fatigue: managers are tired of
course-upon-course of new fangled ideologies
• Malicious compliance: we harbour internal
terrorists (we sometimes create them…)
• Lack of quality one-on-one time with
managers
• Anemic support of managers by superiors

31. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE MANAGER
JUDGEMENT?
Robert Raymond Smith-Barry (4 April 1886 –
2 May 1949) was an officer in the Royal
Flying Corps and its successor, the Royal Air
Force. His most notable contribution was in
developing flying instruction methods.

32. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE MANAGER
JUDGEMENT?
The curriculum combined classroom training
and dual flight instruction. Students were not
led away from potentially dangerous
manoeuvres but deliberately exposed to
them in controlled environments so they
could learn to recover from errors of
judgement.

33. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE MANAGER
JUDGEMENT?
• Develop a sound, yet simple succession plan
• Provide for structured experiential learning
• Apply rigour in job matching initiatives
• Engage in a structured MDP with 3 levels of
reporting (up, sideways, with moderator)
• Amply recognize and applaud the successful
people
• Be brutally honest with “brick layers”

34. CASE STUDY: PRESTIGE CLEANING
• MDP (middle and senior) over 6 months
• 4 years
• 78 candidates
• Assignment and task based
• Methodology: classroom and coaching

35. CASE STUDY: PRESTIGE CLEANING
• Positives: 30 % promoted
reduction is mistakes
improved staff relations
• Negatives: small percentage ran with it
micro-management restraints

36. CASE STUDY: PRESTIGE CLEANING
The BIG one…
increased structured experiences
improved judgement and reduced
boss fatigue

37. CONCLUSION
• Retain internal talent (what is rewarded?)
• Promote from within (60%-80%)
• Structure a relevant succession plan (you will
be one of 10% of SA companies who have a formal
succession plan – IOD Business Day Dec 2009)
• Succession plan should include leave relief
• Coach and support
• Provide individual, honest feedback

38. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND
ATTENTION!
LEON STEYN