Tag: bias

Compliance and change

FabrizioLeave a comment

Most feedback features an I and a you.

I like what you did.

I feel you are not motivated enough.

I believe this is what you should do.

It’s the opinion of one person – often against the opinion of another person -, and the effectiveness of this kind of feedback depends on the status of the one giving it. Even in the best case scenario, even if the feedback gets through, it is because of compliance.

A more effective feedback features a what, an how, a why, and a couple more whats.

What happened?

How did it go? – in relation to shared goals.

Why did things go like that?

What will be different next time?

What can I do to help?

It’s the feedback that helps reflection and learning. Status has zero relevance, in fact this format can be used by anyone with anybody. And when the feedback is successful, you have lasting change.

Three burdens

FabrizioLeave a comment

The first is that you have to be liked. Doing something to please others is the reason why your work sucks and the very same idea that everyone could or should like you is most likely the reason why you are stuck.

The second is that success is measurable with money. It’s a very expensive fairytale and for a very large part of us it is also an excuse to never look at what matters.

The third is that commitment is forever. Very few are, and even when you have invested a lot in something, it is still fair to get to a point where you say: “thank you, I am out”.

Can you free yourself of these burdens?

And the winner is

FabrizioLeave a comment

What is the value of:

  • An award that has your name on it?
  • An award you have paid money to get?
  • An award that is given to everyone who participates?
  • An award that nobody knows about?
  • An award you and your team have worked hard to achieve?

In the end, most people who visit your website can’t really tell the difference. That’s why awards as marketing tools are little more than organizations talking about themselves.

Start from here and now

FabrizioLeave a comment

Is there more?

Most definitely, there is.

But that’s the wrong question to ask, it’s a question that hides permanent dissatisfaction.

Try instead, what do I have here and now?

When you start from your current situation and accept the tools and means that you have been given, the possibility for more are truly infinite.

Different hows

FabrizioLeave a comment

When we look at others we look at how they behave, how they look, how they interact with others. We often know very little of how they feel, how they think, how they see the world around them.

When we look at ourselves we look at how we feel, how we think, how we see the world around us. We often know very little of how we behave, how we look, how we interact with others.

That’s why every judgement, every comparison, every attempt to explain is unfair and unbalanced. And we need to learn to live with this.