In comparison to other decision-makers, leaders viewed as objective are more trusted to reach the best possible decision.
Their impartiality and focus on fairness garner them deep respect and promote a view that they are above self-interest and political influence.
Not surprisingly, they make better decisions as well.
Scholars contend that no one can be completely objective, as their beliefs and experience can’t be entirely ignored or disregarded. Prejudice, experience, and perspective invade the thinking process.
But the most objective leaders do their best to reduce subjectivity by creating distance. They keep their interests, beliefs, and biases as far away from judgments and decisions as they possibly can.
So how do you know if you’re an objective decision-maker? See how you match up against these descriptions.
Objective leaders and decision-makers aim for fairness in analyzing facts, events, and people. They insist that the final conclusion never depends at all on who is asserting it.
They emphasize that the information used to reach a decision be provable, testable, or verifiable. This allows them to maintain a detached impartiality that serves their desire for even-handedness and propriety.
This focus on objectivity influences leaders to work hard at suppressing misleading intuition that springs from their experience. When assessing a situation, they consciously disregard irrelevant prior knowledge.
They base their judgments and decisions on facts and evidence rather than personal feelings and self-preference. Through this more objective lens, they are better able to avoid favoritism and groupthink.
Objective leaders also take the time to pause and reflect before making decisions. They consider all available information to avoid making a premature judgment.
They seek out diverse viewpoints to avoid operating in echo chambers. Because they base their views on facts and merit, colleagues typically view their decisions as more rational, just, and fair.
When it comes to passing judgment and making decisions, how objective are you?
The more objective your decision-making, the more people will trust you to weigh in, tackle a difficult choice, and guide the group to a quality outcome.
People always want to hear the view of an objective voice. Objectivity inspires confidence in both the decision and the decision-maker.
The toughest test is always whether a leader can maintain an objective view. Do your best to meet that challenge as often as you can.
