Gary Mintchell puts his finger on a perennial business
problem: “I have never understood people who try managing without data – or
just latch on to one data set that seemingly justifies their ideas while
ignoring other data.”
We’re all familiar with the first type of person. This is the guy who trusts to instinct. I listen to my gut too, but it doesn’t always know what it’s talking about. Also, I don’t think my instinct alone is a good enough reason to take a decision that affects other people.
This type of person is less often encountered these days. Mintchell’s second type of data denier is still very much alive – and easy to miss. Psychologists call the effect at play here “confirmation bias”. This means we have a preference for information which fits in with our existing mental models.
We might believe we’re neutral and objective, and that when data comes up that challenges our preconceptions, then we alter our theories. In reality, that’s not our natural response. We don’t much like being wrong. So we’ll select or bend new facts to fit existing ideas. Or, as Mintchell points out, make sure we never encounter challenging data.
We need this “other data”. We need everything that’s relevant to our purposes. Limiting your data sources is often a sign of insecurity rather than confidence, and this goes for organizations as much as for individuals – maybe more so. It’s one reason why some organizations fear big data. They’re worried they might learn something.
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