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To avoid big mistakes, clear out old assumptions and ask your brain to take a fresh look.
September 2009 |
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Why We Make Mistakes
In his book Why We Make Mistakes, Joseph T. Hallinan identifies why perfectly smart and competent people often make big mistakes. Among those reasons:
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We see what we expect to see instead of what is really there
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The more competent we are at something, the more likely we are to skim over the details
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We refuse to acknowledge our biases
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We have a higher opinion of our abilities and integrity than others do
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When we are overconfident, we don't do as well at listening to feedback
How Assumptions Influence our Perceptions
Peter Senge also observed this phenemonon and called it the Ladder of Inference. The ladder has 8 rungs. First read the following chart from the bottom up. Then think of starting the cycle over again (1 follows 8).
8. I take actions based on my beliefs
7. I observe and select based on my beliefs
6. I adopt beliefs
5. I draw conclusions
4. I make assumptions
3. I add meanings
2. I select which data to pay attention to
1. I observe the data
Using this ladder, it's easy to see why we miss what is right in front of us. Once our beliefs become entrenched, they influence what data we decide to pay attention to. We tend to select only the data that reinforces our belief system. We start to value our assumptions more than the new data that contradicts those assumptions.
Mastering the Art of Starting Over
Life is the ability to start over again. (Joan Chittister)
Because the human brain prefers to do the same thing over and over again, maximizing its efficiency, we have to remind it occasionally to examine old assumptions. When was the last time you looked at your work without filtering it through outdated beliefs? How can we look at the data with a set of fresh eyes?
Smart people know how to learn from the past without letting the past run the show. They consider themselves amateurs who have something to learn rather than experts who already know it all.
Reflection Questions
- What was a mistake you have made recently? How did it happen? What role did outdated assumptions and beliefs play in the mistake?
- How can you ask clients and new employees to help keep your perspective fresh? What do newcomers or outsiders see that you are missing?
- How can you reward yourself and others for noticing what others miss and being willing to say so? What is the cost for failing to do so?
Copyright 2009 Forward Focus
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