The Value of Blending Views
We usually jump to conclusions or take deliberate actions relying on the stories we are told, hearing only one side of them. I even believe there is a tendency to feel more comfortable with the stories we are told by those similar to us, those who we identify with, in a sort of “mirror” effect, through which we see ourselves.
Subconsciously, we look for values, education, professions or weaknesses similar to ours; and when we find them and relate to them, we almost automatically place high confidence and credibility (superpowers) on those who hold them. This isn’t necessarily wrong, but it’s dangerous.
What is more, time and again we fall into the trap of seeing ourselves as owners of the truth, of having the right version of the story we tell the rest, driven by two criteria that cooperate with that illusion: consensus and effectiveness.
There’s no doubt that if some of us think along the same lines on a given subject, then we’ll all see the truth emerge. That said, if we reflect on it a little, we can also conclude that if two or more people share the same view, this simply means that they share a view and not much more. The fact that they have the same opinion doesn’t necessarily imply that their verdict on the matter is correct or true.
Not to mention the many “successful” cases we had in the past. That effectiveness fills us with confidence and fertilizes the illusion that we are the owners of the truth. The matches we won that fill us with confidence and pride, and the shots we missed that create a sort of muscle memory to avoid making the same painful mistakes, those are powerful fertilizers when it comes to convincing ourselves that past experience makes us invincible. We become result-oriented.
That being said, I don’t attempt to demean experience, the flight time behind us that equalizes our decision-making processes. Precisely that flight time is the one that, on several occasions, makes the difference; and it allows us to reach goals, win matches and get results. It is also that experience that teaches future talents, guides us and paves the way.
My thoughts are in favor of questioning ourselves and being aware of the fact that in certain situations we tend to see one truth, the truth told by an observer we identify with and feel comfortable with, and we refrain from hearing a different side.
Sometimes, with the arrival of new ideas that come along with the incorporation of new talents to the company, we get defensive. Of course, those ideas that don’t go hand in hand with what we think, believe in or have been doing, may bother us. By carrying the flag of culture and past successful cases, many times we miss the opportunity of adding other views, ideas, ways of doing things that don’t necessarily put our culture or projects’ welfare at risk. On the contrary, by understanding and making room for new proposals, many opportunities to take what we have and improve it come up.
Over the years I’ve seen that happen on several occasions, and many times as the main character (my bad). However, I’ve also experienced that when we become more open and less defensive, things can go well and improve.
A few years ago, someone joined the company to fill the project leader position. This person arrived with practices, manners, successful cases. With a toolkit and, most importantly, with a great deal of accumulated experience. For quite some time since the arrival, besides from getting the work done, this person devoted energy to criticizing, pointing out “all the things that were wrong”. I must admit that it annoyed me… after all, for many years, we had been working hard with other leaders to have better management, better leadership in the company,
As I said before, the criticism bothered me, I got defensive and tried to justify past decisions. I explained where we had begun and where we were back then, everything that we had done and accomplished. That went on for a few months. As time went by and to make a long story short, at one point I grew tired of all the criticism and I started paying more attention. I opened my mind and I decided to be receptive. I started considering the criticism and taking it as an opportunity to grow. I thought, analyzed and pushed forward the matters that emerged from them. By then, I discovered something that I couldn’t see: there were many concealed flaws, undefined processes (or defined but not communicated), and many improvement opportunities. Leaning on those matters, I set up a plan to improve the area I lead, involving both “old” and new talents.
As of today, I believe the area works much better thanks to that leader’s input. In fact, not only thanks to that person but to the teamwork between the old talents (and their view of the truth) and the new views. We’ve learnt a lot together during the whole process and now the kit has more tools.
I am convinced that one of the challenges that the current management faces has to do with being able to bring together the experience with the view of the new talents that join us. The management style and dynamics that have brought us to this point (which, in Flux IT’s case, during the first ten years of the company worked to help it grow, take care of it and protect it from the onslaught of a few storms) now have the opportunity of seizing everything we’ve learnt (or experienced) and benefit from the view, ideas and, above all, the eagerness of the new generations. From that communion, we’ll surely build better teams and companies.
