Okay, that wasn’t a fair question because we all do this from time to time.
This phenomenon is a cognitive bias known as “What You See Is All There Is” (WYSIATI), a term coined by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman. WYSIATI happens because our minds tend to rely on the information that’s readily available, often ignoring what we don’t know.
Yes, our brains can be lazy 😴
▶︎ The Leadership Challenge
WYSIATI can lead to hasty and poor decision-making. This becomes acute when the pressure is high, and we’re feeling the stakes. In these moments, the conclusions we jump to can prime us to take a defensive posture or may fundamentally distort what we see, say and do over the coming conversations. Either way, it’s a recipe for friction, wasted resources and missed opportunities.
▶︎ What can we do about this?
We can break the cycle by taking a moment to mentally step back before approaching an important conversation or decision. This involves deliberately detaching from the situation, stepping back from the noise to take a breath and reset our perspective.
As Jocko Willink notes, “Detachment is one of the most powerful tools a leader can have.”
Rather than being a piece on the board, we step back to see the entire board, getting a perspective on the game, not just the next move. Taking these moments can transform our approach and outcomes.
▶︎ How can you make this part of your routine?
One client creates these moments by deliberately taking a longer path between meeting rooms, purely to have that extra minute to herself to step back and calibrate before the next meeting. Good idea, right?
We all have a routine for approaching an important conversation or decision. How could you tweak that routine to take a moment to step back?
As leaders, let’s avoid jumping to conclusions and preserve our perspective.
Our roles depend on it.
What strategies do you use to avoid jumping to conclusions?