No matter what our role in an organisation, we all need to deal with a wide range of problems on a daily basis. However, most of us are unaware of the thoughts, buried beliefs, prejudices and biases that influence our decisions. This article sheds light on overcoming bias in problem solving.
One area that can get in the way of good problem solving is the flaw of the human brain which creates cognitive biases. This is where we ignore the facts and use our own perception of a situation to shape our decisions. The effect of bias can be seen throughout the professional and corporate world. This can manifest in employee relationships, strategic decisions, and catastrophic business blunders. It is important to recognise and appreciate different cognitive biases, and to actively avoid bias when making decisions.
Let’s have a look at some common cognitive biases, what they mean, and how we can overcome them.
Confirmation Bias
This is the tendency to favour your own hypotheses and selectively seek evidence that supports your beliefs and ideas, ignoring what disproves them. We see this in many ways. These include:
- Belief polarisation (when two parties see the same evidence but become even more extreme in their opposing beliefs)
- Irrational primacy (a fixation on information discovered early in a series of events)
You can reduce confirmation bias by being aware of its existence and opening your mind to new ideas and information. Apply critical thinking and question what led you to this belief.
The Bandwagon Effect
The bandwagon effect shows that the more people do or believe something, the likelier others are to join them, despite any contrary evidence.
To overcome this, you need to distance yourself from the bandwagon. You can create physical distance by moving away from people who exert peer pressure. You can also wait for a day after talking to people before you make a decision.
Negativity Bias
Studies show that people are more affected by negative memories and feelings than positive ones, resulting in a negativity bias. The negativity bias can lead to unnecessary risk aversion in environments where people should be taking more risks, particularly in a business setting.
Be aware that your fear of failure may be overshadowing your focus on the potential benefits. You need to logically analyse the fear to decide whether it is reasonable.
Functional Fixedness
Functional fixedness is when a person uses an object only in the way it is traditionally used, restricting creativity and problem-solving capabilities.
Try to encourage lateral ‘outside the box’ thinking to avoid this bias. Don’t be afraid to consider unusual ways you could use the resources already at your disposal.
Projection Bias
The projection bias is when we assume that other people think like us. The average person assumes that their way of thinking is typical of most people, therefore others should reach the same conclusion as them.
Studies also show that we believe many of our own personal views will stay constant in the future when this is statistically improbable.
Overcome projection bias by requesting feedback and asking for an honest second opinion.
Conclusion
These unconscious biases and beliefs will hold you back, and until you identify these areas, you cannot get out of your own way. When you identify your biases, beliefs, and perspectives, you can begin to bring more consciousness and objectivity into your decisions. Overcoming bias in problem solving is a key skill in any work environment.
Our excellent Problem Solving and Decision Making course will enable you to be more effective and productive in how you approach problems. It will also show how you can successfully navigate a way to solve problems and how to make considered, well thought out decisions.