Joe Biden’s administration just made a significant mistake in not better anticipating and planning for the Taliban’s rapid assumption of control in Afghanistan. But, if you’re a Biden supporter, it might be difficult for you to acknowledge that mistake.
Mayo just beat Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final. If you’re a Dublin supporter, you may well tend to look for evidence that supports your view that Dublin did not deserve to lose.
Lots of us, lots of the time, look for evidence that supports our views. And/or discount evidence that contradicts our views. And/or interpret ambiguous evidence in a way that supports our views.
In so doing, we’re exhibiting confirmation bias. Is it universal? Is it part of the human condition? Is it inevitable? Can it be eliminated?
I don’t know the answer to those questions. But I do know that awareness of the biases that we may be prone to is a good start. The more we’re aware of our potential biases, the greater the chance that we can discern truth and reality.
One way to reduce the impact of your confirmation bias on your business is to purposefully seek out people who won’t aim to flatter you. Whose purpose is to challenge. To probe. To hold up an ultra-clear mirror to you. Who are able to be frank. Who are able to be respectfully assertive without being aggressive. Who have ideas that could help you.
If you’ve at least one such person in your (business) world, good stuff.
If you don’t, then getting one is something you may want to consider! I work with clients to, among other things, minimise their confirmation bias. If you’re ready to make a change, book a free 15-minute discovery call here. By the end of that call we’ll know if we’re a good fit.