Bias and Blind Spots
You’re the expert in your business—until something feels off. Then what?
Nobody knows my body better than I do.
I know every ache. Every pain. Every joint’s range of motion. Every former (and current) injury.
I know my limits – what I can and cannot do.
I know how much I weigh, how much I should weigh, and what it would take to get there.
I know when I’m stressed emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or physically. And I know what to do about it.
I know what to do when I’m hungry, or get a headache, or a backache, or a pulled muscle, or when I’m tired.
I know my body, and I can manage it well.
Even so, there are times when I know something is off, when something doesn’t feel right, but I can’t figure it out.
Which is the moment I realize I need to spend time and money to consult an expert.
And sometimes that expert needs me to spend more time and money to see another expert.
At the end of the day, it’s quite possible that the resources invested engaging multiple levels of experts and technology – diving far deeper than I could have gone myself, despite my expertise – may have saved my life.
(True story!)
We understand this in life.
How about in business?
Nobody knows your business better than you do.
You built it.
You know every ache. Every pain. Every department’s range of motion. Every former (and current) operational breakdown.
You know your limits – what you can and cannot do.
You know where your staffing levels are, where they should be, and what it would take to get there.
You know when your people (or your systems) are stressed emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or physically. And you know what to do about it.
You know what to do when your business is hungry, or when it gets a headache, or a backache, or a pulled muscle, or when it’s tired.
You know your business, and you can manage it well.
Even so, there are times when you know something is off, when something doesn’t feel right, but you can’t figure it out.
Which is the moment where you might want to consider spending time and money to consult an expert.
And sometimes that expert will require you to spend more time and money to see another expert.
At the end of the day, it’s quite possible that the resources invested engaging multiple levels of experts and technology – diving far deeper than you could have gone yourself, despite your expertise – may save your business.
(True story!)
Don’t ignore the signals.
In our business, life, and faith journeys, signals are there to help us survive and thrive.
But you and I may need to invest time and money for help interpreting some of them along the way.
Blessings to you, my friends!
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This Week’s Resource Recommendation(s):
“The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma”
- Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
From Amazon: Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity.
Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.
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“What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful”
- Marshal Goldsmith
From Amazon: America’s most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder.
The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle -- and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference. These are small "transactional flaws" performed by one person against another (as simple as not saying thank you enough), which lead to negative perceptions that can hold any executive back. Using Goldsmith’s straightforward, jargon-free advice, it’s amazingly easy behavior to change.
Executives who hire Goldsmith for one-on-one coaching pay $250,000 for the privilege. With this book, his help is available for 1/10,000th of the price.
MMS 25-19
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Blessings to you, my friend!
