French philosopher Jean de la Bruyere had it right when he said, “Next to sound judgment, diamonds and pearls are the rarest things in the world.” And perhaps that’s because like diamonds and pearls, judgment also needs time to grow and shine.
When seeking to grow in sound judgment and decision making, start slow, remain humble and stay patient. You may be born with a little good sense, but you can develop the rest.
Experience
To grow your judgment and decision making, first grow your experience. Look for opportunities that stretch you make you think outside the box and that broaden your knowledge in the long run. Even those opportunities that don’t enhance your strengths serve a purpose; they help you learn your weaknesses. You’ll make mistakes, but endeavor to never make the same one twice. Make an effort to intentionally discover opportunities and you’ll find opportunity will discover you, too.
Accountability
Remember there were three wise men — not just one — in the nativity account. You need the perspectives of others on your quest toward good judgment lest you fall prey to the silo effect — the biggest obstacle to seeing the big picture. Consider hiring your own personal board of directors and consult them regularly on business decisions. The mistakes they’ve made can spare you from making the same ones and their years of experience can save you some years of your own.
Reflection
Repeat a mistake and you’re likely to kick yourself and attempt to retrace your steps to figure out where it all went wrong. Save yourself some time and reflect immediately after a mistake — and write it down. Ask yourself why you made the poor decision — was it lack of time, a feeling of pressure, not enough research, a misunderstanding? The answers to these help you avoid those pitfalls next time you need sound judgment. Write down your successes, too, and over time you’ll have a personalized decision-making guidebook to consult when making a decision.