Why I Started Teaching Professional Judgment

I didn't graduate with my bachelor's degree until I was almost 39 years old.

Like many non-traditional students, I paid for school as I went. It took longer than I originally planned, but when I finally graduated and landed my first property accounting role, I was excited to put everything I had learned into practice.

At least, that's what I thought I was doing.

Early in my career, I had a trainer who knew her stuff. Whenever I ran into a problem, I'd go to her with questions. At first, that was exactly what I needed. But over time, something changed. Instead of using her as a resource, I started using her as a crutch.

One day I asked yet another question about an account balance. She looked at me and said, somewhat sharply, "That is a balance sheet account and has a normal debit balance."

I remember feeling annoyed. But after the irritation wore off, a different thought hit me. She's right. I had gone to school for this. I understood accounting fundamentals. I already had the knowledge I needed to start working through many of these questions on my own.

That moment changed something for me. I didn't stop asking questions. Instead, I became more intentional about the questions I asked. I learned to think through problems first, research what I could, and then seek help when I truly needed another perspective.

Looking back, it wasn't really a lesson about debits and credits. It was a lesson about becoming a professional.

Years later, when I became responsible for training others, I started noticing the same pattern. New accountants often struggled to bridge the gap between what they learned in school and what was expected of them in a professional role. They knew the rules. They understood the mechanics. But many had never been taught how to think through ambiguity, when to ask for help, what questions to ask, or how their decisions affected the work of everyone around them.

Then I had a manager who reinforced those lessons in a completely different way. Whenever I brought him a problem, he rarely gave me an answer. Instead, he asked questions. Lots of questions. Those questions helped me think through the issue myself and connect concepts, consider alternatives, and reach my own conclusions.

At the time, I didn't realize it, but he wasn't just helping me solve the problem in front of me. He was helping me build the ability to solve future problems on my own. Those experiences shaped the way I lead, train, and develop people today. They also planted the seeds for what would eventually become Sound Judgement. Because I've come to believe that the biggest gap in professional development isn't technical knowledge. It's teaching people how to think.

Looking back, I can trace the beginnings of Sound Judgement to three people. A trainer who challenged me to stop relying on others for answers I was capable of finding myself. The accountants and finance professionals I later trained, who showed me that technical knowledge alone is not enough to succeed. And a manager who taught me that the best leaders do not create dependence. They develop thinkers.

Over the years, I have become convinced that one of the greatest gaps in professional development is not technical training. We spend years teaching people rules, processes, systems, and procedures. Those things matter. They are the foundation of competent work.

But what happens when the answer is not obvious? What happens when the policy does not perfectly fit the situation? What happens when there are competing priorities, incomplete information, or real business consequences attached to a decision?

That is where professional judgment begins.

The most effective professionals I have worked with are not necessarily the ones who know the most. They are the ones who ask thoughtful questions, consider the impact of their decisions, challenge their own assumptions, and take ownership of outcomes.

They do not simply complete tasks. They think. That is the skill I want to help others develop.

If Sound Judgement has a mission, it is this: To help professionals move from seeking answers to developing the ability to find them, to help leaders move from solving every problem to developing problem solvers, and to help people build the confidence that comes from knowing not just what to do, but how to think when the answer is not clear.

Because the goal is not to know everything, but instead to learn how to think well.

And in my experience, that is a skill that can change careers.