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Seven Things for Leaders to Learn from Judge Judy
I am a big fan of Judge Judy. I’ve learned a lot from watching her show, such as the definition of a contract, never co-sign a loan, and don’t date deadbeats. Like many other people, I get a kick out of her communication style. Some of it would work well for leaders, though other bits of it are best left to judges.
- Consistency. Judge Judy is absolutely consistent in her message. She is there to adjudicate the law. If people try to give her a sob story, she tells them that’s for another show. A lot of people are in court to try to extract some kind of revenge for their hurt feelings. Judy will have none of that. She brings them back to the points of the law, remaining focused and consistent. Focus and consistency are two qualities a leader needs to cultivate and model. For example, if an employee gets off track in a discussion, gently bringing them back will help you get things done. “I can see that Jim has some personality quirks. Let’s refocus on what we need to do to work with him and get this project finished.”
- Questioning Technique. Judge Judy is skeptical that people just offer other people money out of the blue. When people try to say, “She knew I needed money,” Judy sharply tells them, “Don’t tell me what they knew. Tell me the conversation.” When an employee tells you, “The quality team knew we needed this last week,” you can try a similar approach. Asking “How did they know that? Did we use their process to get into their queue?” is a good method to get to the truth. Just be a bit gentler than Judy.
- Decisiveness. Judy doesn’t dither around. She has her standard, the law, and she knows how to apply it. When she asks a specific question, she wants the answer, not a long-winded explanation. Anyone who tries to speak their mind without getting to the point gets ruthlessly cut off. Many times managers have to make decisions on incomplete and conflicting information. The ability to get to the heart of the matter and move forward is crucial. Nothing can be more frustrating for a team than a leader who doesn’t make decisions by a rational, consistent standard of fairness.
- Genuine and authentic. Judy has a distinctive, genuine style. I am still amazed at the passion she displays, after all her years as a judge. She also consistently uses certain catchphrases. “If you tell the truth, you don’t need a good memory.” “If it doesn’t make sense, it’s not true.” “I wanted to be 5 foot 11. It didn’t happen.” Whether you intend to or not, you will also find habitual ways to express yourself, verbally and non-verbally. I overheard two of my employees once say, “Did you get the face?” (I’m still not sure what face that was.) Find your style, your catchphrases. This will help cement your authenticity.
- Trust your instincts. Judy has a good sense of who is telling her the truth and who isn’t. If you want to improve your ability to spot lying in action, watch more of her show. But most importantly, learn to trust your instincts. If you think you’re not getting the whole story, you probably aren’t. If the story seems a little too pat, a little too perfect – maybe it isn’t quite the whole story. While you don’t want to question your people like a prosecutor, you do need to acknowledge that most of us try to put the best face on situations. Sometimes, as a leader, you have to get past that to get to the facts that you need.
And two things not to emulate
- Calling people idiots. One reason I watch Judge Judy is because it is so satisfying watching her call certain people idiots. (Especially those people who insist that their girlfriend / boyfriend paid their bail as a gift. Of course, bail is a gift, isn’t it? It’s on my Christmas list every year.) But if you call people idiots in the corporate world, you are likely to get an EEO complaint for creating a hostile workplace. While Judge Judy’s direct style can be refreshing and entertaining on television, real-life leaders need to avoid name calling. Sure, sometimes you need to let off steam. That’s what your commute is for. Mutter to yourself on the subway or on your bike. Call people names all you want in the privacy of your car.
- Yelling in general. Judge Judy yells and interrupts a lot. It’s her courtroom and she can be a dictator in it. But as a leader, yelling is rarely an effective long-term communication strategy. People learn to tune it out. “That’s just Ellen,” they’ll say. Judge Judy isn’t interested in building long-term working relationships. She makes her judgment and they’re gone. Perhaps she thinks that yelling may be her one chance to make an impact on their behavior. But in the corporate world, where relationships matter more than they do in a courtroom, a calm and friendly demeanor will get you much further.
Be consistent, authentic, genuine, and decisive. Develop effective questioning techniques to get to the heart of the matter. Trust your instincts. Then, be gentle and calm as you deal with people. You need to build relationships more than lay down the law. And when you need the satisfaction of watching someone get their due, turn on an episode of Judge Judy.
