In the Lead Magazine Explores the Practice of Leadership Judgment

Seton Hall University’s Buccino Leadership Institute has released the 12th edition of In the Lead magazine, exploring how leaders develop and apply sound judgment in an era defined by uncertainty, abundant information and rapidly evolving artificial intelligence.

The Fall 2026 issue, themed around leadership judgment, examines how leaders interpret information, weigh consequences and make decisions when the right path is not always clear. Contributors from business, health care, education, sports and other fields consider what shapes good judgment and how leaders can strengthen it over time.

In his Letter from the Editor, titled “What We Hire For, What We Fire For,” Professor Ruchin Kansal, M.B.A., examines the growing tension between the importance of human judgment and the ways technology may change how people develop it.

“Good judgment is less a trait than a practice,” writes Professor Kansal. “It requires both head and heart, is built with others, is tested under pressure and is judged by how you got to your end point, not just by where you landed.”

Professor Kansal notes that while artificial intelligence can increasingly perform analysis faster and more confidently, the process of developing judgment often comes through doing the work ourselves, making mistakes and learning from their consequences. The issue asks readers to consider how leaders and educators can continue to develop that practice in themselves and those they lead.

The Fall 2026 issue features a range of perspectives on judgment, including:

• “The Judgment Advantage” by Mark A. Pfister examines why leadership success is increasingly determined by how leaders interpret, evaluate and act on what they face.
• “In Focus with Jessica Moran ’23” explores Moran’s career journey, values and the role judgment plays in her everyday decisions.
• “In the Lead with Andrea Neil” features the pioneer of Canadian women’s soccer, who shares how self-awareness, courage and values shape sound leadership judgment.
• “The Experience Dividend” by Z. Colette Edwards, M.D., M.B.A., explores why supporting women through menopause is essential to retaining experienced leaders and their hard-earned judgment.
•  “What Good Judgment Looks Like” by Faith Glazier, M.B.A., considers why an abundance of data does not guarantee better decisions and why organizations must treat human judgment as a discipline in the age of AI.
• “Reading the Field” by Mahesh Daas, Ed.D., examines how leaders recognize patterns, weigh consequences and act wisely amid uncertainty.
• “Beyond the Data” by Leslie D. Hirsch, M.P.A., FACHE and Andrew F. Simon, Ph.D., Psy.D., explores why considered human judgment remains essential in an era of artificial intelligence and virtually unlimited data.
• “The Wisdom Circle” by Tom Dahlborg considers why leaders make better decisions when wisdom is shared rather than concentrated at the top.
•  “Brave New Purpose” by Mimi Brooks examines the new role of leadership as an architectural framework for workplace adaptation.
• “When Reckoning Isn’t Enough,” reviewed by Paula Alexander, Ph.D., J.D. and Stephen Wood, M.S., explores the distinction between AI calculation and human accountability.

Together, the articles examine judgment not simply as an individual leadership quality, but as a practice that develops through experience, reflection, collaboration and the willingness to learn from difficult decisions.

The issue encourages readers to put those lessons into practice by reconsidering consequential decisions they have made and asking what they might do differently with the benefit of hindsight.

Through In the Lead, the Buccino Leadership Institute brings together perspectives from experienced leaders, educators and practitioners to explore the ideas and practices that shape leadership across industries and communities. The 12th edition is available on Seton Hall University’s website.

Categories: Community Engagement, Education