I often think about what makes a truly great advertising account person. Everyone has his or her own style, of course. Some account people are very charismatic and can talk clients into anything. Some are very organized and can expertly project manage even the largest campaigns. Others are constantly bringing new ideas to the table for both clients and creatives. And while all good account people possess those skills to some extent, there is another underlying ability that is harder to quantify, but essential – judgment.

Judgment is the ability to assess a situation and take the best course of action available based on a combination of experience, insight and common sense. It’s a split second of thought that makes all the difference in a tough decision. It’s about looking at the various alternatives available and being able to approximate likely outcomes. It’s also about having “taste” to know when something is corny or tongue-in-cheek, boorish or avant garde.

Every creative and client would agree that just “reacting” to a situation is one of the things that frustrate him or her most about account people. Judgment is not reacting. Though it can occur just as quickly.

Judgment provides the foundation for all other skills in account management. Without it, we’re just empty suits or paper pushers, no matter how good we are in our primary duties.

It’s hard to train for, and even harder to teach. It’s something that just develops through thoughtful diligence over time. But when you see it in action, it’s unmistakable, for the better of both agency and client.