We are all susceptible to a psychological problem known as a confirmation bias. Our beliefs are often based on paying attention to the information that upholds them—while at the same time tending to ignore the information that is counter to our thinking. This was pointed out by Peter Cathcart Wason experiments known as Wason's rule discovery task. He found that people tend to seek information that only supports their existing beliefs.
This is a bigger problem if our staff defers to us because of our position. Our challenge is to delve into counter beliefs that will give us a bigger picture of decisions we decide to make.
Here are some questions we should think about:
What am I missing in my thinking?
Is this the right time to do this?
By implementing this decision what would be the short and long-term outcomes?
Who are the possible winners and losers of this change?
