Calling bullsh*t on people who say they don't judge

The Merits of Judging Others We're being encouraged to make an extra effort to be patient, tolerant, and to withhold judgment. Wait, what? Withhold judgment? When did judgement become a bad thing? We're taught in schools and church not to judge others. Almost every day I hear someone use the phrase, "I'm not judging here" or No judgment," or "I don't judge." People make these declarations proudly as if not having judgment is somehow virtuous. But there are many situations where judgement is not only advisable, it's downright sensible.

It's okay to judge others, maybe even a good idea It's true that pre-judgment or prejudice are not desirable character traits. But, judgment, it turns out, is a very useful life skill. You can use judgment to keep from doing dumb things. If one of your friends offers to give you a ride home after a party, you could get into the car or you could judge him to be drunk. Let's say you have a job that involves hiring and firing of employees. To do a good job in that role, you'd certainly have to exercise good judgment when deciding who was a good fit on the team, right? You can even use judgment to stay safe. Say you're walking down a dark alley at night. At the end of the alley, you see a suspicious man lurking about. You could continue down the alley or you could pass judgment on that person and avoid possible trouble. In fact, never judging is worse than always judging. Judgment is a personal decision But, even if you were to live your life by "never judging others," you'd have to exist in a world where judgment is everywhere. The judicial system is predicated on judgment. We live in a society where the top-rated television shows are about judging contestants who cook or sing or compete somehow. Lots of business professionals get paid to use good judgment when they are hiring employees, entering into business agreements, negotiating contracts. Wishing you more judgment in the future--good judgment, that is. About the author Michael Angelo Caruso is an American author and motivational speaker. He is a well-known presenter at conferences and industry trade shows. Mr. Caruso has spoken in Australia, Asia, the Middle East and 49 of the 50 states. He spends a lot of time in California, Texas, Florida, and New York. Many meeting planners consider him to be the best speaker in America. Sample his videos and subscribe on YouTube. More information about Michael's keynote speeches and training programs at www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com.