Kerry Siggins, StoneAge
People are filled with all kinds of biases; we are hardwired to have them. We tend to see and feel our own points of view strongly, and we are particularly onesided. We seek information to preserve our opinions and beliefs, causing us to interpret situations through the lens of our biases. Many times, these preconceptions cause us to be irrational. Unfortunately, we don’t understand that bias drives everything we do; therefore, we don’t challenge the rationality behind our thoughts and feelings. We get stuck in the mindset of “because I thought it, it must be true.”
There are dozens of cognitive biases; you can find an overwhelming list of them on WikiLists. I like to think of myself as a fairly rational person, and after my Google search enlightened me, I could see all kinds of ways my brain plays tricks on me. Bummer.
I strongly desire to make sound, rational decisions, and I am sure you do, too. So what are some ways to overcome biases?
When you find yourself getting defensive, challenge yourself to come up with three alternatives stories. For example, if someone snaps at you in a meeting, you tell yourself she did it to embarrass you. Here are the alternative stories: 1. She was up all night with her 3-year-old and is exhausted from lack of sleep. 2. She is feeling the stress of a tight deadline and her boss just added more to her plate. 3. Three people were late for the meeting and she is annoyed. The purpose of doing this exercise is to help your brain see there are dozens of possibilities as to why something happened, and it most likely has nothing to do with you.
Asking for perspective can help you see what might be hiding in a blind spot. Having trouble with your boss? Ask a few co-workers what they see and how they’ve developed a better relationship with him. Feel passionate about an idea? Share it with others and ask what you are missing. Different points of view will help you recognize when you are creating an incomplete picture.
Oftentimes decisions are made quickly without understanding the unintended consequences. This is especially true for people like me, for whom optimism bias runs deep. Therefore, it’s best to sit down with a group of people and start asking questions. Why are we doing it this way? What if we did it a different way? What would these different ways look like? Identify the pros and cons of each option and make sure everyone voices their opinions. Remember this is a process, so treat it like one and keep emotion out of it. The goal is to challenge the team to overcome biases, make sound decisions and not create winners and losers.
Another effective way to reduce bias is to actively seek out counterevidence, which is information opposite of what you believe or think. Humans are experts in confirmation bias — the tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions — and you have to actively work to avoid this trap. Luckily we have Google, so you have all kinds of opinions, news and theories at your fingertips, making it easy to find counterevidence.
Playing devil’s advocate means you purposely raise an objection or take an opposing viewpoint for the sake of challenging biases. You don’t have to believe what you are saying; you are only debating in order to explore other possibilities. Playing this role is not easy or fun, but it is necessary to ensure good decision making. Take care when doing this; it’s difficult to effectively challenge others’ ideas without making them feel like they have to defend their viewpoints.
Bias is part of everything we do as humans. We believe we have control of our thoughts and feelings, but in reality these hardwired tendencies manipulate us into making irrational and erroneous decisions. Although you’ll never be able to rid yourself of bias, self-awareness is key. The more you understand where your thoughts and feelings come from, the more you will understand why you do the things you do. Challenging these thoughts and beliefs can provide deeper insight and create opportunities to make better decisions.
For more information, contact Kerry Siggins at kerry.siggins@stoneagetools. com. To read or sign up for her blog, visit www.kerrysiggins.com.
