If you read the headline and thought “I need to share this with a friend who I think needs to challenge their echo chamber,” then guess what – this article is actually for YOU!
And for ME. For all of us.
And this is not just about politics. It happens to all of us in our organizations.
We all know what the customers/clients/donors want.
We all know what the employees want.
We all know what the big bosses are thinking.
Of course the economy will always or never . . . . .
We are all subject to various cognitive biases or mental blind spots. Chief among them is confirmation bias. This is when we look for and interpret information that confirms what we thought previously – vs what the facts may really tell us.
This can lead to bad decision-making and here are some things to do about it:
*Create a culture in your team where you list out your assumptions and question them.
*Make your reasoning clear. Take the time to write out your logic trail. Read through it with someone outside of your team to see if they can follow it.
*Check the evidence to make sure it confirms your logic trail.
*Seek out people who you think may disagree with a decision you are about to make and ask them for their reasoning. Do your best to find an objective observer to provide their feedback.
Just because everyone agrees quickly does not mean that you have an amazing team process. It could mean that you are all wrong and headed down the same wrong path – happy though you may be about it.
All of these suggestions are part of being an effective critical thinker, which will make you a more effective decision maker and leader.
*For more info on this topic, check out this article “Repetition Makes it True.”
