The National Geographic Channel presented a series of episodes called Brain Games in which they discussed various aspects of how the brain works and how it doesn't work the way you think it does or expect it to do. My sons and I are watched and enjoyed it immensely.
One of the episode went over the concept of inattentional blindness. This concept discusses the way our brains focus on specific, minute details yet don't process other parts of a scene within our field of view that are not deemed as important. This video goes over one exercise that shows how our brains don't process a variety of parts of a scene we take in. Pay close attention to what the person is doing with the dollar bills. Can you figure out how he changed the dollar bills to $100s?
What does this have to do with decision-making in business? The fact is that our brains don't process all of the information that comes through our senses. That lost information could play an important role in understanding a situation, a great deal. The fundamental force of Respect sits right in this area of working to experience more of a situation.
The brain runs on 12 watts of power. That's less than a third of the wattage in your refrigerator light. The brain has to streamline and prioritize in order to handle life within the constraints given it. Because of processes and procedures, potentially key elements are not stored, or even considered. We need to retrain our brain to expend energy to see differently.
Go back to the video for me. Did you initially notice the change in the hat the magician was wearing?
Respecting a problem at work
A former client discussed with me an issue a customer brought to them about their software. To tackle this critical customer issue, they brought together a team of developers and product managers to look at the issue. For a full week, this team that was supposed to know the product better than anyone else couldn't figure out the solution. After a week, their customer came back to them and told them that they were able to solve the problem by looking at a user forum. My client's established processes and procedures weren't set up to Respect the situation in the eyes of the client. They were inattentionally blinded.
Everyone, it seems, is compelled to streamline and prioritize business storylines into three key points. How many times have you asked - or had your boss ask - to synthesis an issue to three bullet points for the 'benefit' of leadership? We are seen as incompetent or unable to understand an issue if we can't communicate an issue succinctly. We intentionally leave out potentially key pieces to a story/strategy because of our brain's limitations (or leadership's). Because those key information points are lost, the strategy/program could fail.
What can we do about it?
Well, some of it is impossible to change. As you grow up, your brain 'learns' what's important and not important and it's coded to process information in a certain way automatically. There are some things that can be done to help you have a clearer understanding of a strategic or tactical landscape so you can make better decisoins:
- Stop and smell the roses. We are so caught up in getting things done and knocking items off our lists that we lose chances to take in more of the entire picture. We aren't allowing ourselves to take in a situation and meld it with our understanding of like scenarios. By smelling the roses, we learn more because we take time to move things into our long-term memory. We question and integrate what we are experiencing into our consciousness. We accept that items we've deemed as unimportant previously could be key to our future success.
- Drop the arrogance of superior knowledge. My client's customer was able to figure out their software issue exactly because they didn't have the knowledge and history with developing the product. Many studies of children and problem solving demonstrate that they try things that adults wouldn't because they "don't know any better." Efficiency would say that you use your expertise to hone in on and quickly solve a problem. But, if you are stuck, step back and take in the bigger view and explore the possibilities.
- Open yourself up to people that would have a different perspective. In my book The Four Fundamental Forces of Leadership, I tell the story of Vikas Narula and his efforts to "swim in other fish bowls". By meeting people that are different than him and have varying perspectives, he's able to gain grander perspective.
- Ask questions. Don't just accept the information that's being provided to you. I'm not saying that you should think what you receive is inaccurate. I'm saying there are likely important nuances that you and others haven't brought to the discussion that will impact decisions all involved feel more confident in decisions.
Seeing larger perspectives and more nuance only helps our understanding of issues and our ability to leverage opportunities to connect. Respecting takes practice to build capacity. Serve yourself and others to develop this crtiical skill.