Degrees and connections don’t equal competence

There is no way to achieve a balanced opinion. It’s not an active process. Instead, it’s a process of inactivity – of vulnerability.

At the beginning of this course, we mentioned the importance of accepting fallibility. Accepting that our beliefs may be wrong – especially those we consider obviously right – is the first step towards achieving a balanced opinion.

As Socrates allegedly said:

‘The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.’

Socrates was not a well-liked man. He used to go around asking people question after question and providing few answers. His constant questions and lack of assimilation made him a hated figure in many circles.

That hatred eventually led to his execution.

To achieve a balanced opinion, we should provide more questions than answers.

This outlook is stymied by many symptoms of groupthink, but especially mindguards.

For example, if you’re on a tight deadline, more questions only add more time to your project. That may be time the project doesn’t have – according to the deadline.

If you don’t have time to ask more questions, move your deadline.

In the heat of work, that may seem impossible.

This also ties in with our earlier discussion of risk vs authority.

If leaders refuse to give autonomy to employees, they are creating mindguards that will encourage groupthink among their teams.

Those tight deadlines may seem unavoidable – necessary, even – but they hinder us from creating valuable work.