Illusion of invulnerability: Strategies

In this article, we’ll explore some potential strategies teams and organisations can use to mitigate the effects of the illusion of invulnerability.

1. Set up a critical advisory board

Any group project can suffer from an illusion of invulnerability. The need for a diverse team should go without saying.

But we should also set up a critical advisory board composed of community leaders and other people from outside our companies to critique the work we make.

2. Get feedback from the target audience

Before we release our work to our target audiences, we should test that work with them.

Instead of asking leading questions, we should allow those target audiences to lead the discussion.

3. Constantly self-reflect

At every stage of a project or business venture, we should implement critical self-reflection sessions in which we try to tear down the hypotheses of our projects.

For example, let’s imagine we want to make a commercial that speaks to young people from a particular community. State that goal as a hypothesis about the product.

‘X product/project engages young people from X community.’

Now, instead of asking where we’ve been successful, we should ask ourselves how we have been unsuccessful.

Try to tear that hypothesis apart. Actively try to prove that your project does not meet its intended purpose.

To implement this strategy effectively, actively reward people who provide the best explanations as to why a project does not meet its intended goal.

In the comments below, describe a time that you have experienced or witnessed the illusion of invulnerability.

When other learners tell their stories, pick one that sticks out to you.

Provide some feedback on how they might have avoided this.