If you are trying to identify the best performers in an area that lacks rules-based, head-to-head competition or clear, objective measures of performance (such as scores or times), keep this one thing at the front of your mind: subjective judgments are inherently vulnerable to all sorts of biases. Research has shown that people are swayed by factors like education, experience, recognition, seniority, and even friendliness and attractiveness when they are judging another person’s overall competence and expertise.
Vulnerable to biases does not necessarily mean driven by them. In the absence of better metrics, structured subjective judgements still have value. Weaker evidence is not no evidence.
