Think like a scientist
In his latest book, Think Again, Adam Grant says:
“we think and talk with the mindsets of three different professions: preachers, prosecutors and politicians. "In each of these modes we take on a particular identity and use a distinct set of tools. We go into preacher mode when our sacred beliefs are in jeopardy - we deliver sermons to protect and promote our ideals. We enter prosecutor mode when we recognise flaws in other people's reasoning - we marshal arguments to prove them wrong and win our case. We shift into politician mode when we are seeking to win over an audience - we campaign and lobby for the approval of our constituents. The risk is that we become so wrapped up in preaching that we are right; prosecuting others who are wrong; and politicking for support, that we don't bother to rethink our own views."
I enjoyed this book because of its science foundation. In science, the goal is to find the truth (without biases) through experimentation and data collection. Hypotheses are supported, or discounted, by research and factual information. Wouldn't it be great if we all think like this when it comes to our views and opinions? Yet, it would certainly be boring to strip away the human emotions that drive us and make the world interesting.
In psychology, we often see issues through the prism of bias and there are two main biases that drive a way of thinking. One is confirmation bias — seeing what we expect to see. The other is desirability bias — seeing what we want to see. We arrive at conclusions before we have given sufficient thought to ideas with an enquiring mind. We haven’t allowed others to question us, challenge us, ask us "why".
Leaders face a range of issues, challenges and complication daily. Most likely, they will deliver a decision on one of the three P's. What if we encourage leaders and teams to think more like a scientist? Would we re-evaluate our current views? Approach ideas with curiosity? Ask more questions? Run more tests? Dig a little deeper before coming to a conclusion? Could problems be solved more collaboratively? When becoming leaders for the first time, people assume it is their job to make decisions. But in reality, they lead much better when they ask more questions.
You can call it being "open minded" or having a "growth mindset", it is all about thinking beyond our comfort zones. My own motto is to aim to improve myself rather than prove myself.