Our brains are constructed with numerous built-in blind spots. These are natural tendencies that lead us to process our experiences in particular ways and make certain assumptions. Because they are inherent in our human nature, they truly are blind spots that we don’t notice.
You can’t overcome these blind spots in the sense of preventing yourself from ever experiencing them again. But you can learn to work around them consciously, thereby avoiding their detrimental effects. Of course, these blind spots affect your experience across all of your life settings, but we’ll focus on how they play out in the workplace.
When you know something or how to do something, the tendency is to assume that others generally know it or can do the same thing as easily as you do. Here, we’re not talking about secrets or private information, which, of course, we recognize other people don’t know. Instead, we’re talking about more general knowledge, both in the culture at large and in the particular workplace. The longer you’ve worked in the same place, the more knowledge you take for granted.
Because this assumption is a blind spot, it’s easy to feel frustrated when a problem arises because another person didn’t know something or was unable to do something (at least as efficiently as you could). This blind spot makes it difficult to train someone effectively because many details and underlying aspects that are taken for granted or feel like “common sense” are left out, leaving the learner struggling and frustrated.
What can you do to avoid the costs of the curse of knowledge? If you are requesting something from someone or explaining something, try to be more explicit and detailed than you would normally be. You can also make clear that you expect questions and that you are probably leaving out some details or making assumptions about what the other person already knows.
When you are on the receiving end of the curse of knowledge, it can be trickier to fill in the blanks without coming across as incompetent. Here, you might explain the curse of knowledge phenomenon and lightheartedly note that you may need some things broken down or explained in finer detail or in smaller steps.
Similar to the curse of knowledge, we tend to overestimate the extent to which other people see things or experience things the same way we do. We only have direct access to our own experience, and because it makes sense to us, it’s natural to extend it to how we assume others experience similar things. This blind spot costs us in the form of miscommunication and misunderstanding.
What can you do? Begin training yourself to develop curiosity as to others’ opinions and perspectives. When you find yourself sharing yours, remember to end with, “But you might see it very differently. What do you think?” When you find yourself surprised or challenged but someone’s differing experience, notice that it must be the result of the blind spot of assumption of agreement. Doing so might motivate you to continue unearthing instances, thereby expanding your ability to successfully communicate and avoid misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and disconnection.
Of course, others can’t read your mind, but this blind spot assumes that others know your intentions. When you perform an action, you inherently know why or the result you intended from that action. Others, however, only see your behavior and experience the effects it has on them. From there, they will draw conclusions about your intentions based on such factors as the effect of the action, their history with you, and their beliefs about the kind of person you are.
The cost of this blind spot is a disconnect between how you think you are coming across and how you may actually be perceived. Typically your intentions are good, and this blind spot leads you to assume that others know that. So, when it comes to light that someone attributed negative intentions to your behavior, it can be shocking and hurtful.
What can you do? To overcome this blind spot, it is important to be explicit about your reasons and intentions when behaving in ways that affect others. For example, if you need to make a decision that impacts others with whom you work, explain your goals or what you hope will result from the decision, possibly also sharing some information about the process you undertook to arrive at the decision.
Sometimes, you miss an opportunity for a preemptive approach and only learn of the mismatch between your intentions and what others perceive as your intentions after the fact. In those cases, apologize for any unintended effects from your behavior and explain that the outcome was certainly not your intention or what you were trying to accomplish.
Blind spots such as those described here are part of the human condition. Everyone experiences them to varying degrees. Fortunately, research in psychology has uncovered their existence, allowing you to act in ways that minimize their downsides or costs. Try the strategies described here and see whether instances of misunderstanding at work decrease, allowing for more productive and pleasant relationships.
What Are These 3 Blind Spots Costing You at Work?
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26.03.2024
Our brains are constructed with numerous built-in blind spots. These are natural tendencies that lead us to process our experiences in particular ways and make certain assumptions. Because they are inherent in our human nature, they truly are blind spots that we don’t notice.
You can’t overcome these blind spots in the sense of preventing yourself from ever experiencing them again. But you can learn to work around them consciously, thereby avoiding their detrimental effects. Of course, these blind spots affect your experience across all of your life settings, but we’ll focus on how they play out in the workplace.
When you know something or how to do something, the tendency is to assume that others generally know it or can do the same thing as easily as you do. Here, we’re not talking about secrets or private information, which, of course, we recognize other people don’t know. Instead, we’re talking about more general knowledge, both in the culture at large and in the particular workplace. The longer you’ve worked in the same place, the more knowledge you take for granted.
Because this assumption is a blind spot, it’s easy to feel frustrated when a problem arises because another person didn’t know something or was unable to do something (at least as........
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