The Communication Problem Solver

CHAPTER 6:How to Break the Judging Habit

This chapter tackles the cause of many communication problems: judging, sometimes called labeling. This common habit is when people form an opinion of someone and put a label on that person, such as “slacker” or “know-it-all” or “lazy.” This kind of judging has a negative impact on management communication because it prevents problem solving and can actually produce greater problems. Judging stops a manager’s rational discovery process and creates tension within relationships. This chapter discusses many of the most frequent examples of judging/labeling and shows a process for how to turn these opinions into facts with solutions. When managers substitute the process described in this chapter for judging, ...