Alpha Females

Helping women make the most of their leadership qualities.

Gabriela Cora, MD, MBA is a corporate consultant at the Executive Health & Wealth Institute and a psychiatrist at the Florida Neuroscience Center. She is author of Leading under Pressure. See full bio

June 2, 2009, Depression

Good judgment

Can we be totally objective?

As a practicing psychiatrist and wellness coach, most people would think that I am a blank slate without thoughts, feelings, or expression during sessions. Those who know me well and who have worked with me for years have no doubts that I have strong opinions and that I will also act in my client’s or patient’s best interest.

While practicing therapists are trained to remain objective as they assist their patient or client without bringing their own issues into the session, a seasoned therapist will skillfully keep their own ideas out of the equation. The therapist may help their client through a clarifying process so that they can better understand their own feelings, their own thoughts and their own actions.

At the same time, many think there is no judgment on our end. While it is true that our job is not to judge our clients or patients, as people we judge their actions and the impact of their actions all the time. For example: we may point out the dynamics behind their constant arguing with their spouse, their overspending in unnecessary things or their frustration with their children. We judge a situation in which we objectively evaluate the presence of severe signs of depression and assess whether or not our patient is at risk of hurting themselves or others. We also judge a situation where we would make recommendations for treatment, discharge or hospitalization. Knowledge and years of experience will hopefully help us make the best decisions in exerting our best judgment.

The more and better we know ourselves, the better we will be able to understand the areas where we tend to be objective and those in which we may be biased.

In 2001 Judge Sotomayor said that she hoped her decisions as a "wise Latina" would be better than those of a white male who hadn't had the same experiences. It is unfortunate that others would make it look like she misspoke. I appreciate candor as a strength when people say what they think, even if politically incorrect and even if Sotomayor truly felt this to be true. While words said can’t be forgotten, she is also clear she would follow the law as a judge without letting her life experience inappropriately influence her decisions.

In the end, our brains may be more wired than we think when it comes to this decision-making process. Some of us tend to be more cerebral and will tend to go through a thorough critical thinking process whereas others may tend to follow their gut feeling. Our past experiences will inevitably impact upon our decision-making process. Keeping a rigorous method to follow, whether scientific, legal or managerial, will lead to a more objective way of reaching a final decision and avoid bias.

What are your thoughts?

Do you know the areas in which you tend to be objective and the ones in which you tend to be biased? Do you have strong opinions about politics, religion, and education or do you tend to have an open mind?