Innumeracy: Have you made poor decisions because you did not “Do The Math?”
Innumeracy: It is to math what illiteracy is to reading.
My first post in the “Current and Competent” series is a concept definition.
The concept is Innumeracy.
The basic concept is that Innumeracy is mathematical illiteracy. It is to math what illiteracy is to reading. It means you are not purposefully data-driven in your decision-making. You don’t usually “do the math” or “run the numbers.”
I encountered this concept from the Innumeracy book by John Paulos, upon the recommendation of my good friend Scott Truhlar.
Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences,
Innumeracy: The opposite of mathematical literacy. It’s when you are not data driven.
The premise of the book is that even smart, well-educated people:
* Often misunderstand mathematics.
* Don’t have an appreciation of the actual likelihoods or probabilities.
* Have blind spots when it comes to decisions that involve quantifying something.
The result is that people can:
* Make uninformed decisions
* Be susceptible to irrational fears.
* Unknowingly make irrational decisions because they don’t understand the likelihood or impact.
At The Nexus Initiative, a core belief is to be data driven.
A question to ask yourself the next time you are about to make an important decision.
Did you “do the math?”
Do you need to?
If you want a thought partner on how to be more data driven in your role, schedule a discovery session. I look forward to talking to you.
