In STEM careers, strong performance is often rewarded with more work—but not always with more opportunity.

The difference between professionals who stay busy and those who advance isn’t effort or intelligence.

It’s judgment.

High potentials are recognized not just for what they do, but for how they decide: what to prioritize, what to question, and when to push back.

🔍Why Judgment Matters as You Advance

As your career grows, expectations shift:
1. Less focus on execution alone
2. More emphasis on decision‑making
3. Greater responsibility for trade‑offs, risk, and outcomes

Leaders look for people who can think beyond tasks and operate with context.
Judgment signals readiness.

🧠3 Ways to Demonstrate Strong Judgment at Work

1️⃣ Prioritize visibly
Not all work is equal.
When everything looks urgent, explain why you’re focusing on certain tasks first.

Clear prioritization shows strategic thinking—not avoidance

2️⃣ Ask “What’s the risk?”
Before executing, consider:
- What could break?
- What assumptions are we making?
- What happens if we’re wrong?

Surfacing risk early builds trust and credibility.

3️⃣Make trade‑offs explicit
Strong judgment isn’t about perfect answers—it’s about thoughtful choices.
When you say:
“If we optimize for speed, we’ll sacrifice precision—here’s why that’s acceptable (or not).”

You demonstrate leadership‑level thinking.

💡Pro Tip
Judgment becomes visible when you explain your thinking, not just your output.
Let people see how you arrive at decisions.

🎯Weekly Challenge
This week, narrate one decision you make:
- What options you consider
- What trade‑off you choose
- Why it makes sense in context

You don’t need authority to show judgment—only intention.