January 2026 | The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine 14
The authors argue: Crisis doesn’ t build character— it reveals the quality of your prior judgment habits.
PART II— The Judgment Process(“ The Leadership Pipeline”) The Judgment Call Sequence Every major leadership decision moves through a three-phase cycle: 1. Preparation
• Identifying the real problem
• Gathering diverse information
• Building a trusted advice network
• Stress-testing assumptions
• Connecting decisions to values and mission 2. The Call This is the moment of decision:
• Choosing between imperfect options
• Making timely decisions( not waiting for perfect clarity)
• Accepting responsibility for consequences
• Aligning the call with organizational values and long-term goals
3. Execution Many leaders fail here. Execution requires:
• Clear communication of the decision and the“ why”
• Mobilizing people and resources
• Monitoring progress
• Adjusting when conditions change
• Learning from outcomes Tichy and Bennis emphasize: Execution is where judgment becomes real. Poor execution ruins even the best decisions.
PART III— The Leadership Judgment“ DNA” The authors describe six personal attributes that support good judgment:
1. Self-Confidence Without Arrogance Leaders must believe in their ability to decide, while still remaining teachable and open to dissent. 2. Emotional Fortitude Courage to:
• Act without full information
• Make unpopular decisions
• Remove people who are misaligned
• Take accountability when wrong 3. Values-Driven Clarity Every judgment call must be anchored in a leader’ s core values:
• Integrity
• Transparency
• Service
• Responsibility Values act as the compass in ambiguity. 4. System Understanding Leaders must see the organization as a living system with interdependencies:
• Culture
• Incentives
• Power structures
• Politics
• Informal networks Good judgment requires anticipating second- and third-order effects.
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