Book review: Good Judgment: making Better Business Decisions with the Science of Human Personality

Richard Davis’s Good Judgment: Making Better Business Decisions with the Science of Human Personality explores how structured personality assessments can enhance decision-making in recruitment, leadership, negotiation and interpersonal interactions. The book challenges the popular belief that emotional intelligence (EI) is the key predictor of workplace success, whereas personality traits offer a more stable and reliable basis for evaluating individuals for talent management and leadership selection. The author introduces the concept of “perceptivity,” defined as an ability to assess personality through structured interviews and in-depth observation, providing a more accurate and consistent method for evaluating an individual’s long-term potential.The book is divided into seven chapters, structured into two interconnected parts, each serving a distinct purpose within the author’s central argument. The first part (chapters 1–3) primarily critiques traditional hiring and leadership assessment methods. The author contends that these methods over-rely on emotional intelligence (EI) and scientifically questionable personality assessments, which can lead to flawed decision-making in talent acquisition. In contrast, the second part of the book (chapters 4–7) shifts towards practical applications, presenting various tools that can improve talent management, leadership development, conflict resolution and negotiations processes. Overall, the book provides both theoretical and practical tools on how to assess personality using a “personality blueprint” that bridges the gap between psychological research and management. It addresses how to prevent poor hiring, improve performance leadership, resolve conflicts and enhance team dynamics.The book’s central thesis asserts that personality traits are stable predictors of behavior, whereas emotions are transient. By introducing the personality blueprint, the author provides an organized framework for evaluating traits such as conscientiousness and adaptability, which provide more trustworthy insights into long-term performance. The author uses real-world examples of failed leadership hires and business partnerships to demonstrate that decisions are made based on personality rather than just emotional impressions. The book supports its arguments with rigorous research, but it critiques EI without fully acknowledging the growing body of evidence that suggests personality and EI interact. Research demonstrates that EI is associated with features like extroversion and feeling-based decision-making, suggesting that emotional abilities affect personality rather than simply being a static predictor (Leary, Reilly, & Brown, 2009).In the first chapter, “Personality > EQ,” the author argues that personality traits are more reliable predictors than EI. Author deconstructs common assumptions that EI is key for workplace success, using the example of Frank, a tech entrepreneur who faced issues after hiring a leader based on high EQ. This example reinforces the book’s main premise: recruitment based on personality traits is more reliable for predicting workplace success, as personality traits are stable.In the second chapter, “The Personality Blueprint,” the book traces the history of psychometric tests before introducing the Big Five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism (OCEAN) as a scientifically validated tool for decoding behaviour in talent management decisions. However, the author criticizes broadly used personality assessments in tools such as the DiSC, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Clifton-Strength for lacking empirical rigour. There are drawbacks to the Big Five tests, as they focus on the character of an individual rather than providing a complete picture of their motivations, cognitive style and workplace behaviours. As a result, many organizations use these tests on job applicants, which can lead to declining offers based on the test results. Recognizing the limitations of the Big Five in capturing key aspects of cognitive style and motivation, the author develops the Personality Blueprint, which categorizes individuals into five dimensions: Intellect (how people think), Emotionality (how they express emotions), Sociability (how they engage with others), Drive (what motivates them) and Diligence (how they accomplish tasks). The author introduces the sixth dimension, self-mastery, which focuses on an individual’s self-awareness, discipline and maturity (Davis, 2024).In the third chapter, “The Secrets to Revealing Conversations,” the author focuses on the practical application of perceptivity in talent management and succession planning. The author argues that judging personality requires more than simply paying attention to conversations with candidates. It is crucial to focus on the specific question that induces candidates to reveal themselves. Informal interactions should employ five essential strategies: establish rapport, encourage people to share previous experiences, ask insightful questions, interpret what you have learned and calibrate your interpretation. Using these five strategies allows one to engage in conversation similarly to how a journalist conducts interviews with sources.In the next chapter, “The Right Stuff” the author illustrates the importance of personality traits in business contexts. For example, he presents a case study of two couples who invested in a beach property, where poor planning and communication stemming from differing personality traits led to conflicts during renovation. This example shows that personality traits are crucial not only in traditional workplace settings but also in business ventures. The author emphasizes that many talent management processes overlook these nuanced traits, often relying on superficial qualities or flawed assessment tools. To address this issue, the author advocates for developing a success profile that includes specific outcomes and necessary traits required for new leaders by considering the context they will face in the future. The author argues that personality-based selection criteria are more effective than resumes or charisma, as demonstrated by a case study of a tech firm. In this example, the firm’s failure to adequately assess personality during the hiring process resulted in the selection of a leader who, despite being charismatic, lacked the necessary diligence and collaborative skills, which hindered the company’s progress.The fifth chapter, “Setting Relationships Up for Success” delves into the critical role of personality dynamics in fostering successful relationships in a professional setting. The author exemplifies this with a case study of a private equity firm’s acquisition of Jewellery business, which highlights the importance of understanding the founder’s personality traits. The concept of a “user’s manual” is highlighted, identifying specific behaviours that facilitate effective communication, avoid conflict and enhance collaboration. This chapter provides examples demonstrating how these strategies improve team dynamics and conflict resolution.The next chapter, “Improving Performance” reinforces the author’s main thesis that personality is not a fixed attribute but a dynamic aspect of professional development. Providing various examples, including Tanya’s journey, illustrates this point. Tanya, a highly successful assertive professional who often faced challenges in workplace relationship due to her impulsive behaviour and direct communication style. The example, illustrates that with the right support, self-reflection and commitment to change, individuals can significantly improve their workplace behaviour and performance. The author introduces the Hogan Development Survey as a tool to identify potential obstacles or derailers. The author highlights that success as a leader is not only based on charisma but also adaptability and continuous growth.The last chapter in the book, “Influencing Others,” focuses on understanding personality traits and communication styles, which are key to influencing others effectively. The concept is highlighted through various examples such as the response to a car accident and high-stakes negotiations. The author underlines the importance of self-awareness and knowledge by introducing the tool the Character Quick Take tool, which helps to access personality traits in real-time by observing verbal and non-verbal cues to identify core traits. In the conclusion section, the author reinforces that perceptivity is an essential skill for enhancing personal and professional interactions. By sharing anecdotes, the author highlights the importance of observation and interpretation, emphasizing that personality is a continuous habit. Utilizing strategies like the Five Boxes, Character Quick Take tool and power questions, individuals can develop a deeper understanding of others’ personalities. Continuous improvement through tools like the Hogan Development Survey can help to identify derailers and improve judgment, empathy and overall effectiveness in interactions.The author provides a well-researched and thought-provoking framework and tools for assessing personality in personal and professional settings. His structured approach to evaluating personality traits assessment is a valuable contribution to the field of organizational psychology and talent management. The central thesis of this book is grounded in his argument, and he successfully demonstrates that personality traits are more reliable and valid predictors of workplace success than EI. The book’s strength lies in overarching psychological theories with practical tools and their applications, which makes it more relevant for HR professionals, executives and leadership consultants.However, the book has some limitations. First, the author does not entirely dismiss the importance of EI in the workplace, but he does not adequately address how emotional intelligence interacts with personality traits. Research suggests that personality and EI together contribute to leadership, with EI playing a vital role in overall performance more than general intelligence (Dulewicz, Young, & Dulewicz, 2005). Second limitation is the author’s overemphasis on personality as the primary predictor of workplace success while neglecting other factors. Research by Schmidt & Hunter (1998) shows that the combination of a general mental ability (GMA) test with other tests or with structured interviews stands out for hiring, as they are effective predictors of job performance. Third concern is the author reliance on structured personality assessment tools that raises concerns about over-reliance, rigidity, learning agility and contextual adaptability (Marlapudi & Lenka, 2024). Moreover, the one-size-fits all approach of author ignores the contextual factor critical to effective TM (Gallardo-Gallardo, Thunnissen, & Scullion, 2020). Additionally, the framework fails to address employee ambidexterity (i.e. ability to balance innovation and efficiency) essential for navigating organizational change (Akbar & Anas, 2024). However, author’s framework does not explicitly address how structured personality assessment should be adapted based on leadership style, organization culture, organizational change and workforce demands. Another concern is the book relies mostly on anecdotal case studies to support and illustrate key concepts. While client stories lend practical credibility to prove his point, at the same time, they may call into question whether the examples are more generalizable than intended.The author’s work contributes to an ongoing discussion in talent management, succession planning, conflict resolution and decision-making. The book emphasizes the importance of perceptivity as a skill, aligning with current evidence-based HR practices and talent management. It challenges traditional hiring and selection methods, promoting a rigorous, personality-focused approach to candidate selection and assessment. However, the book mostly emphasizes that a corporate environment may limit its relevance to non-profit, academic, or government contexts. Moreover, with the increasing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), it falls short in addressing how personality assessment might align with DEI initiatives. A discussion on integrating perceptivity with DEI efforts would enhance the book’s practical impact.The book Good Judgment, presents a persuasive case for prioritizing structured personality assessment over EQ-based evaluation in hiring and succession planning. The book skilfully integrates psychological research with business applications, thereby providing tools for enhancing workplace interactions. Its focus on perceptivity offers an alternative to the traditional decision-making approach, particularly for leadership roles. A more comprehensive discussion that includes cognitive ability, workplace culture and DEI considerations would strengthen its overall argument. Nonetheless, Good Judgment provides a robust framework for learning organizations to optimize their talent management strategies by focusing on the predictive and stable nature of personality. In today’s dynamic business environment, effective talent management is crucial for learning organizations to adapt, innovate and maintain competitive edge. This book can be highly beneficial for talent management professionals by providing them with a scientific grounded approach to personality assessment which can lead to more effective hiring decision and foster continues growth with such organizations.The author received no financial support for this book review.

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