ENT 601- Have an Open Mind

In continuing with my reading of choice, Ed reflects on a time he was taking a road trip with friends Dick and Anne. In the middle of an argument, Dick (the driver) dings a curb which in turn blows a tire. The couple was so caught up in their arguing that they didn’t notice the tire. It wasn’t until Ed pointed out the tire and the danger it posed that they became alert. Ed uses this example to demonstrates four ideas he connects to managing:

1. Our models (preconceptions built over time) of the world distort what we perceive so much that they can make it hard to see what is right in front of us.
2. We don’t typically see the boundary between new information coming in from the outside and our old, established mental models- we perceive both together, as a unified experience.
3. When we unknowingly get caught up in our own interpretations, we become inflexible, less able to deal with the problems at hand.
4. People who work or live together have, by virtue of proximity and shared history, models of the world that are deeply intertwined with one another (Catmull 2014 ).

Dick and Anne were so distracted by their original argument, and now the additional argument of the tire, that they failed to consider safety or act accordingly in the situation. Their mental model (rationalization) was skewed as a result of the years they closely interfaced with one another.

Whether it’s in regard to business or personal life occurrences, we can identify with the four ideals listed above in some form or fashion. The dynamics are affected even further as more people are added into the equation. In a business, more individuals that have been in close proximity or in the same conditions, such as Dick and Anne, are more likely to become inflexible. They will likely become rigid in their views and resist having both an open mind and change. Similarly, organizations can become too heavily reliant on doing business as usual out of the same familiarity.

In summary, “The intertwining of many views is an unavoidable part of any culture, and unless you are careful, the conflicts that arise can keep grounds of people locked into their restrictive viewpoints even if, as is often the case, each member of the group is ordinarily open to better ideas” (Catmull 2014 ).

As leaders and entrepreneurs, it is important to keep an open mind. If a method has proven to be successful, perhaps there is no need to change it. However, this does not negate the fact that there could be a better way of doing things available. There should be constant self and overall business evaluations. This can help ensure that decisions are made for the improvement of the business rather than habitual nature.

Source:

Catmull, E., & Wallace, A. (2014). Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration: Random House.