Finding The Advantage in Being Wrong

When was the last time your beliefs or work was challenged? What did you do?

For most of us, our first inclination is to double down on our beliefs or attack the challenger in some way. It is embarrassing to be accused of inaccuracy, and we, therefore, try to protect ourselves by lashing out or cushioning our bruised egos by seeking out data that corroborates our ideas - a phenomenon called confirmation bias.

It is no wonder we act like cornered animals when accused of making a mistake; Our culture often associates precision with morality - inaccuracy is seen as an indication of incompetence or subterfuge, and we are nasty when we think someone is wrong. You need only turn to the comments section of any social media sites for evidence.

However, our fear of being wrong can result in behavior that burns bridges, stunt our growth, and ultimately close the door to greatness.

Information will always move faster than we can consume it, which means that nearly all of us are unknowingly operating under assumptions and statistics that may have been disproven or debunked, even if the original information was backed by facts.

In order to progress in this new reality, we need to flip the script and start to see our mistakes as stepping stones. We need to be open to the idea that we COULD be wrong, and be cautious about assigning absolute truth to the last study/book/podcast/meme we encountered. You don't need to accept every criticism that comes your way, but becoming comfortable with the discomfort of uncertainty will jumpstart your path to growth.

This week, think about how you react to mistakes in others and in yourself. What would help you be more open to learning from conflicting evidence? What can you do to inspire your teams to break more eggs?

Choice - Your Ultimate Superpower

Today, you will make mistakes, say the wrong thing, and inaccurately assume negative intent from a colleague or client. Our superpower isn't in whether or not we can prevent these things from occurring.

- Hint, you can't 100% of the time -

Rather, it is in making the CHOICE to learn from mistakes, courageously right wrongs, and alter our perceptions to assume positive intent.

Choice is your superpower. Use it wisely.

Criticism - A Menu of Options

I won't lie to you... Receiving constructive feedback can be awkward at best and can definitely bruise our ego, no matter how well intended. How many of us avoid feedback altogether because we don't like feeling guilty, obligated to change, or even offended to have someone else's will imposed on you? Feedback is essential to growth and success, but being open to feedback doesn't always mean you have to agree with or implement every suggestion you receive. Seek out alternative suggestions, do some soul searching, and implement only those things that you believe to be valuable to your situation. When you start seeing feedback as a menu of options for growth instead of simply the dead-weight of other's expectations, you can stop avoiding criticism and make the changes that will have the greatest impact your life.

How To Stop Undercutting Your Own Credibility

No matter what you are up against this week, be sure you are not undercutting your own credibility. Our insecurities have a nasty way of coming out in our speech, actions, and even in how we carry ourselves. As social creatures, we feed off the cues we are given by those we are interacting with, which means that your behavior can quickly become a self-fulfilling prophecy of your fears.
This means that if you go to a sales call worried that the client won't like your product, they probably won't. If you worry that your team thinks you are too young or inexperienced to lead them, they probably do. Why? Because YOU are giving them the social cues that lead them to think that way. But within this fault line lies our power to change the future. Take stock of your insecurities, figure out what triggers your self-fulfilling behavior, and MAKE A PLAN for what you will do instead. Social scientists call this creating a MENTAL MODEL, and it is scientifically proven to change the way we think and behave. Your mental models are your superpower this week – change your mind, change your future!