Have you ever felt stuck in a situation that seemed unfulfilling, with fears holding you back? We recently had a coaching call with one of our clients who was facing this challenge. As we delved into the beliefs supporting her fears, we stumbled into a discussion around the concept of confirmation bias. This cognitive quirk silently influences our lives, often without us realizing it.
Confirmation Bias: The Silent Shaper of Our Lives
At its core, confirmation bias is the tendency of our brains to seek out evidence that supports our existing beliefs or thoughts. Essentially, our minds become detectives, tirelessly collecting any and all information that reinforces what we already think, whether those thoughts are conscious or lurking beneath the surface.
The intriguing part is that we can leverage this cognitive phenomenon to our advantage or our detriment.
In one of my past roles as an office manager, I often found myself mediating conflicts among team members fairly often. At one point, there were two team members with vastly different personalities who struggled to work together, which hindered the team’s progress. However, I could see that both individuals were valuable members of the team with unique strengths. The problem was that their judgments of each other had fueled strong confirmation biases, completely blinding them to each other’s contributions.
Person A saw Person B as lazy and thought she was unfairly burdened with extra work. Meanwhile, Person B viewed Person A as demanding and controlling. In reality, Person A possessed qualities such as command, execution, and influence, while Person B excelled in being amiable, strategic, and empathetic. They had wildly different talents and values.
The bias blinded them to each other’s gifts. Person B’s methodical approach was misinterpreted as laziness by Person A, while Person A’s leadership style made Person B feel excluded. And because of the bias, they each had an arsenal of evidence to back up their beliefs.
When I confronted them about this bias, revealing how they were missing out on each other’s contributions, they were able to start to change this bias which shifted the team dynamic dramatically for the better.
Recognizing and Leveraging Confirmation Bias
Identifying confirmation bias within ourselves can be challenging, particularly during conflicts. It’s even trickier when the bias operates at a subconscious level, silently influencing our thoughts and decisions.
Our client faced a similar challenge. Her confirmation bias had her blinded to her own strengths. She believed that a particular endeavor would be difficult, and her bias had amassed ample evidence to back this belief. This made the challenge appear insurmountable. However, the key is to change those thoughts and use the bias to find information that supports rather than sabotages you.
Unlocking Personal Growth and Better Relationships
So, I encourage you to become more aware of your own confirmation bias in action. Are your thoughts and beliefs shaping your perception of reality? Are they holding you back, or can you harness them to your advantage? By taking the time to introspect and challenge your biases, you can unlock new opportunities for personal growth and better relationships with those around you.
In the end, confirmation bias is a powerful force that can either confine you in a limited perspective or propel you forward with newfound clarity and understanding. The choice is yours.
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