Leaders & Decision Making: How It Can Badly Impact Others

This Unseen Influence Can Ruin Everything

“Leadership is influence. Nothing more. Nothing less”

This is leadership guru John Maxwell’s simple, core definition for what leadership is.

It applies in any context like work, family, ministries, and organizations.

I don’t know about you but I find the idea of influence and impact to be highly energizing. Who doesn’t want to see their life have influence and impact?

Decision making can go wrong. Make it go right

Image by Rhys Asplundh

But, influencing lives can have a dark, scary side… at the same time you are influencing others:

Your decisions WILL impact the lives of others… for good or for bad.

That is a sobering reality.

Read on to learn about some hidden factors that can cause your decisions to turn out badly (for everyone)… and what you can do about it.

Making Decisions as a Leader – Unseen Factors At Play

Here’s the problem: There are hidden factors at play in virtually ANY decision you make… that can frequently screw up your decisions (no matter how careful you try to be).

These hidden factors distort the facts upon which we base our decisions. Decisions made based on distorted facts can negatively impact lives.

Let me show you how just one of these distortion factors (technically known as “cognitive biases”) can screw up even your best efforts to make sound decisions… and how to combat it.

One Common Corrupting Influence You Can’t See

One common decision making influencer is called the Priming Effect. Just like the proverbial “priming the pump”, we are influenced in certain directions when we are first “primed” by another variable.

You can download a stunning infographic that reveals 50 of the most common mental distortions. The priming effect is just one of them.

Here are some bizarre, but true examples of the priming effect. You can find these discussed in detail in the brilliant book “Thinking Fast and Slow” by Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman.

The Surprising Results of One Research Study

In a test performed by Psychology Professor John Bargh, participants were asking to do a word puzzle. One group received random words to work on while the second group got random words that were sprinkled with words associated with the elderly.

The words sprinkled in did NOT contain any explicit words like “old” or “elderly.” Instead, they were things like: Florida, forgetful, bald, gray, wrinkle.

When each group was done, they were asked to go down the hall to participate in a second experiment. In truth, the whole point of the experiment was found in that hallway.

What did the researchers discover?

·         The group that had the elderly related words walked down the hallway “significantly more slowly” than the other group.

·         This test group was subconsciously conditioned (primed!) to increase their awareness of the state of being elderly. Unknown to them, they were sort of identifying with this topic.

·         None of the participants were even aware of the elderly related words, or their slower walk. Instead, they insisted the earlier word puzzle had no effect on their subsequent behavior.

This is very common with these hidden influencers– you insist you are not influenced by them. This is one reason they are such a problem for us: they distort our view of reality… all the while we insist that they haven’t.

Were the results of the above experiment a fluke? Read on.

More Revealing Results from a Second Research Study

In another experiment with two different groups of study participants, one group was unknowingly primed through a word exercise with rude words and concepts while the other group was primed with politeness type stimuli.

They then recorded how participants in each group interacted with a neutral party on an unrelated topic.

Researchers found that the individuals who had been primed with rude stimuli interrupted the experimenter and their peers 3x more frequently than the participants who had been primed with polite stimuli.

Hmmm… another coincidence?

Keep reading.

Still More Crazy Results from Other Research Studies

In two different studies with voters in Arizona…

  • Those who voted in a school (vs. a non-school voting site)
  • Those who voted outside a school voting location but who were indirectly exposed to school related images (lockers, classrooms)

… both groups were significantly more likely to support increased school funding compared to their respective control groups.

Even more amazing: even though these “primed” voters were a mix of parents and non-parents, the percentage of those in favor of increasing school funding was even higher than in polling of just parents in the general population.

Download the Ultimate Cognitive Bias Infographic- 50 Hidden Influences That Can Wreck Your Decisions.

Here is one more absolutely crazy research result.

The Craziest Results of All

In another research study, participants were indirectly primed with money-related words and concepts. Some of the priming stimuli were incredibly subtle (for example: a computer screen saver in the background of the room with dollar bills floating in water)

Here’s what they discovered: The money primed participants were more independent and more selfish in their behavior.

For example, the money primed participants were much less willing to spend time helping another student who pretended to be confused about an experiment.

In another test, the experimenter “accidentally” dropped a bunch of pencils. The money primed individuals picked up fewer pencils, indicating a lower willingness to help and serve.

After a variety of corroboratory tests, the researchers concluded that the primed participants were “reluctant to be involved with others, to depend on others, or to accept demands (requests) from others.”

Bottom line: Every day we are being silently influenced by stimuli that push and pull us… without our knowledge or consent. We think we are making decisions based on “the facts” … but those facts are being distorted.

How to Combat Subverting Influences on Your Decision Making

If we are likely being unconsciously influenced all day, every day, what can you do?

How can you counteract these influences so you can make good decisions despite the unseen biases?

1.      Be Aware– lurking all around you are subliminal messages that are influencing your perceptions. Do you see them? Are you looking for them? You have a much better chance of counteracting them if you can pick up on their presence.

2.      Show Humility– recognize that maybe, just maybe, you don’t see things as clearly or as unbiased as you think. Approaching decisions should always be done with a dose of humility.

3.      Regulate Your Exposure– In the excellent book, the 4:8 Principle, Tommy Newberry reminds us to continually monitor the information we are letting into our eyes and ears. Only allow exposure of ideas that are commendable and praiseworthy and consistent with your values.

4.      Involve Others– When facing decisions, it is always wise to seek counsel. If you receive several perspectives besides your own, you are more able to “triangulate” a better, less biased perspective. Personally, I think this should include conferring with God, who sees things outside of personal biases.

Question: What other ways would you suggest combating the subliminal influences that impact decision making? Leave a comment below so we can all benefit!

This is a guest article by Patrick McDaniel. Patrick is the founder of WiseInsights.net, which combines practical research and timeless wisdom to help you keep moving forward despite the challenges of life. Want to learn about 49 other decision making distortions? Download The Ultimate Cognitive Bias Infographic- 50 Hidden Influences That Can Wreck Your Decisions.
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