Carl Jung, said, “Thinking is difficult. That’s why people judge”.

I have always found this quote to be so profound, because I think it sums up the root cause of most of our challenges and dysfunctions – especially the latter.

When we judge others because, in our narrow (and biased) opinion, we have decided they are different, less than, inferior, non-aligned, powerless, evil, lazy, heathen, infidel, foreign, black, white, rich, poor, male, female (or fluid), we affront, insult and attack them. It’s easy to see where things go downhill from here. Think Greenland, Minneapolis, US versus Europe.

Have you ever been told that you couldn’t do something, or wouldn’t amount to anything, and then proven the judging person to be wrong? (And even “wrong” is a judgement!). If so, you understand the danger of being judgmental.

As I have guided leaders a million times over the last 5 decades, it helps if we ask questions instead of making statements of opinion (which, of course, are judgements). As an advisor and coach I never judge a client but always seek to understand by asking questions. My purpose is not to offend or belittle, but to learn and support.

If we removed judgement from the dialogue and rhetoric in, for instance, Gaza/Israel, Ukraine/Russia, Republican/Democrat, Unions/Management, Rich/Poor (People and Countries), where judging others has reached hysterical and even lethal consequences,  we might engineer a better world overnight.

But refraining from judgment is not easy, especially when it has been our default behavior for most of our lives. So I offer this challenge to you today – can you:

Consciously avoid making judgments about others for 24 hours and, instead, ask questions.

It won’t be easy, but it will change the temperature and the level of inspiration. I’d love to hear your experiences.