In many organisations today, a recurring frustration emerges, managers not fully taking ownership of ‘HR’ issues, avoiding responsibility for leading change, or making decisions without a grounded reliance on facts and evidence. This challenge hampers effective leadership, disrupts team cohesion, and slows organisational progress.
Understanding the Root Causes
Many managers perceive HR and change management as tasks outside their remit. Others may lack the self-awareness or courage to lead effectively in these crucial areas. Without a clear, values-based insight into their judgement and decision-making tendencies, managers often struggle to navigate the complexities required for modern leadership.
This issue is frequently amplified by systemic organisational patterns where senior leaders are disconnected from frontline challenges, middle managers feel caught between opposing demands, and employees experience frustration due to miscommunication and repeated mistakes. These predictable patterns impede organisational effectiveness and erode collective strength.
Bringing Clarity Through Values-Based Assessment
The Judgment Index assessment is the online version of the Hartman Value Profile (HVP). The tool for assessing and placing metrics around judgment created by Dr. Robert S. Hartman Ph.D., in the early 1960s. The HVP as gained substantial attention in both workforce selection and development. The tool does provide numbers, and the predictive value of these numbers is impressive. It gives accurate insight, produces measurable results and provokes important conversations. Our online values-based assessment takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Unlike traditional IQ tests or psychological personality tools, it uniquely focuses on judgement, the critical ability to balance intrinsic (people-oriented), extrinsic (task/process-oriented), and systemic (big-picture) values.
With over 70 detailed reports, including Leadership Qualities Reports, the Judgment Index identifies key leadership attributes such as passion to lead, resilience, courage, and the ability to inspire and manage relationships. It also highlights potential obstacles like stress management or difficulty in handling challenging interpersonal situations that may undermine a manager’s effectiveness.
Why Judgement Matters More than Personality
While many assessment tools emphasize personality traits or raw cognitive ability, the Judgment Index measure how leaders value ideas, people, and systems, revealing blind spots often overlooked. This deeper insight shows whether managers are underestimating the importance of HR ownership, avoiding accountability, or failing to base decisions on facts and evidence. It also encourages a leadership approach where asking “How can I support you?” fosters stronger team cohesion and shared success.
Managers who understand their judgement profile can:
- Identify areas where they may be avoiding ownership or struggling with change management
- Develop targeted skills in communication, assertiveness, and strategic thinking
- Make evidence-based decisions aligned with organisational core values
- Cultivate a culture of support and shared accountability that enhances engagement and retention
Implementing these insights has been shown to improve employee engagement significantly, reduce turnover, and enable more effective change management.
Leadership effectiveness goes beyond experience or technical skills, It requires sound judgement informed by values and systemic thinking. By leveraging values-based assessments like the Judgment Index alongside frameworks rooted in axiology, organisations empower their managers to embrace their leadership roles fully, particularly in HR and change management.
The result is stronger, more resilient leadership that drives sustained organisational success.
