Assessing a Pilot’s Judgement and Wellness

The tragic loss of the Germanwings airliner has highlighted the enormous risk of underestimating a pilot’s judgement and mental state to carry out their job. It has also demonstrated the problem of patient confidentiality preventing a doctor’s diagnosis being known or even being hidden from employers. Having a quick and accurate test may not totally prevent another disaster, but it could reduce the likelihood.

There is concern at the moment about the lack of a suitable test for assessing a person’s mental state. This is the dilemma that every employer faces; in knowing what lies behind the mask. Imagine if it was possible to measure an airline pilot’s judgement and wellness. The employer could have access to an almost instant report on a person’s decision making capacity and their likely stress levels.

Judgement and Wellness

The term judgement in this instance refers to a far wider context than decision making. It also includes how a person interacts with people and their respective environment.  It is with this information that you are able to predict performance and identify potential risks and barriers to success.

Being well depends on many things, such as doctors, nurses, surgery, therapy, rehabilitation, medication, etc. Being well also depends on good judgement. If individuals exercised better judgement about self care and wellness, the instances of medical intervention could be reduced, or maybe eliminated altogether.

 The Judgment Index

The Judgment Index™ is the world’s original and best values based assessment tool and has no equal when it comes to identifying and developing the right people.  It was established in the early 1970’s from decades of research by Nobel Prize nominee, Dr Robert S Hartman. The Judgment Index has been integrated into forward thinking organisations long before “values” became a buzzword.

It is one of the most highly mathematical, scientific and logically-based assessment instruments ever created. No other values based assessment comes close to it in terms of depth and sophistication. It empowers you to measure the value system and the judgement capacity and capability of an individual – and does so with unswerving accuracy. From this, you can measure the level of risk and safety of individuals and teams.

One of the reports it can produce is a wellness report. This is diagnostic and covers eleven key areas. It provides insight into the present state of wellness judgement. It is also prescriptive, as it gives suggestions for improvement.

Some of the typical areas measured are:
•    Wellness and Stability
•    Decision-Making Ability
•    Positive Work Morale; An Appreciation of Work
•    Ability to Follow Directions with Accuracy
•    Ability to Notice, Sense Subtleties, Absorb Clues
•    Dependability, Reliability, and Work Ethic
•    Ability to Focus and Maintain Concentration
•    Trainability and the Ability to Understand Work
•    Capacity to Deal with Difficult People and Situations
•    Appropriately Assertive, rather than Conflict Avoidant
•    Attitude, Coping Skills, Stress in Personal Life
•    People Skills, Relationship Judgment
•    Big Picture Judgment, Seeing Implications and Consequences

Benefits

The Judgment Index™ is available in the UK. Over the last forty years, it has delivered multi-million pound benefits to major organisations worldwide.  Companies involved in manufacturing, health care systems, sports, insurance, construction, government, military, recruitment, security, banking, and food service have made great gains on bottom line profits.  Could it now be the answer to improving air safety?

You may not be an airline operator, but if you would like to ensure you have the right people in the job, increase the judgement capability of your team and reduce risk, please contact us to find out more about the Judgment Index.