Judgement, Courage and the Reality of Leadership Decisions with Vanessa Blackburn

Good judgement isn’t about having complete certainty. It’s about using evidence, experience and other perspectives to make the best decision available, then taking responsibility for how it’s carried out.Vanessa Blackburn and I unpack what separates good judgement from great judgement, particularly when decisions affect people, careers and organisational change. We look at where instinct helps, when it needs to be challenged, and why data should inform rather than replace human thought.We also explore fair hiring, reactive talent planning, feedback, sponsorship and the vague idea of “culture fit” that can allow bias to slip into important decisions.Anyone making high-stakes people decisions will come away with a clearer way to balance evidence, instinct and responsibility.Highlights:(01:57) Why judgement matters more than certainty(06:51) What separates good judgement from great judgement(16:35) Balancing fairness, integrity and instinct in people decisions(27:30) When gut feeling helps and when it needs to be challenged(40:54) How leaders can strengthen their judgementCheck out Vanessa’s post about judgement on LinkedIn and share your views: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vanessa-blackburn-1675956_leadership-futureofwork-ai-share-7485647051087777792-_Mfr/Connect with us here:WebsiteNgoziObehiAurora Company Profile 2026Book a Call here