Is your business rejecting or neglecting the Truth? In 2016, a trend toward post-truth emerged in politics. The truth seemed to matter less, while those with the strongest convictions often prevailed. In 2022 a number of political leaders around the world who were convinced that their ideas and policies were right, despite many voices saying otherwise, got it badly wrong and were promptly ousted, either by their own party or in the next election.
The outcome of the UK EU referendum and US Presidential elections in 2016 were shocking because they were largely unexpected. Many people were pretty certain that life would go on as normal and that they didn’t need to think too deeply about the issues at stake. Many were lulled into complacency by their certainty that things would not change. So they didn’t explore what the other side was really saying and what was mobilising them.
In the UK, the general consensus among academics and experts was clear. However, there was a lack of openness to the views of those advocating for change. In the months leading up to the referendum, it was frustrating to see both sides growing increasingly certain about their positions.
There was no open, reflective dialogue. Untruths were treated as certainties, and both sides shut out opposing voices. This polarisation rendered the truth meaningless.
The absence of truth exploration meant people had little choice but to vote based on emotions. Deep undercurrents and resentments surfaced, triggering a primal fear of losing autonomy. This prompted many to vote Leave.
It’s interesting to note that while only 51.89% of the UK voted for Leave, many short-term Prime Ministers acted as if the vote was unanimous. They became entirely dogmatic in their approach. This rigidity made them seem unwilling to reflect on the economic consequences of leaving the EU single market. At the time of writing, the ongoing imbalance in their approach could still derail their project by creating too many unintended consequences to ignore.
Being certain offers several benefits. It boosts confidence, provides direction, and enhances clarity and leadership. However, if this certainty becomes unbalanced, it can lead to unintended consequences. You might miss out on different viewpoints, hinder collaboration, and stifle innovation. Ultimately, this dogmatic and fixed mindset can result in poor decisions.
To avoid the unintended consequences of excessive certainty, it’s crucial to cultivate a healthy level of openness and reflection. This means prioritising the exploration of truth over simply being right. Embracing diverse viewpoints can improve decision-making, even when it feels uncomfortable, as it fosters innovation and helps manage ambiguity effectively.
There is a natural tension between being certain and being open and reflective. It takes courage and high self-awareness to admit when you might be wrong. Our brains often perceive admitting mistakes as a drop in status, which can trigger feelings akin to physical pain. This drop in status is one of the five primary threats that can push us into fight-or-flight mode, disrupting our thinking and making us more pessimistic and narrow-focused.
Conversely, some people try to avoid these feelings by being very open and reflective. They may take pride in their ability to collaborate and listen to diverse ideas. However, this approach can lead to being seen as inconclusive and having unclear views. Decisions may get delayed or influenced by the latest strong opinions, which can hinder your ability to influence others and may create an impression of a lack of focus or direction.
The opposing traits of certainty and openness create a behavioural paradox known as Insightful Curiosity. When we master this paradox, we develop the ability to explore a variety of viewpoints and make informed conclusions. The beauty of this paradox is that the unintended consequences mentioned above can disappear. This occurs when we achieve balance between the traits and create synergy. You can be confident in your opinions while still exploring different perspectives, allowing you to adjust your views as needed.
The guiding principle for navigating this paradox is: “Question everything but remain steadfast in finding and following true principles. Greater knowledge can only be gained by allowing what you already know to sit in the background while relentlessly pursuing fresh perspectives and being willing to be ‘wrong’ about previous knowledge.”
This paradox is illustrated below:
The primary traits in the Paradox of Insightful Curiosity are:
Truth Exploring which is the tendency to explore different viewpoints and formulate conclusions without becoming fixed in one’s opinions. This facilitates open and robust discussions that help us learn, come to better conclusions and make better decisions. It also builds trust and makes people feel valued.
Inconclusive is the tendency reflect on ideas without sufficiently coming to conclusions. This can lead others to think we lack our own opinions, which can leave team members unclear about what is expected of them.
Dogmatic is the tendency to be certain of one’s own opinions without sufficiently being open to different ideas. This can lead to developing a confirmation bias that has you see only what you expect to see so you are blinded to alternative views and ideas. This can isolate you from important feedback or ideas because people give up on trying to offer an alternative view.
Uncertain Disinterest is a tendency to lack confidence in one’s own opinions while at the same time not reflecting on different ideas and opinions. This may occur in specific contexts where there is a lack of interest in the topic. Many of the people who don’t vote fall into this category in the context of politics.
It’s important to recognise that being out of balance in a behavioural paradox can lead to frustration and stress. This stress can create an emotional flip. If we tend to be inconclusive, we can become stressed by others’ strong opinions. We may also feel anxious about being perceived as indecisive. This stress can lead us to become very dogmatic about certain issues, closing ourselves off to other viewpoints. This behaviour can surprise and even upset others. The solution is to become more balanced in expressing our opinions earlier on, and to being curious about what others think of them.
If we have a tendency to be very certain, others may see us as dogmatic and fight against us, or agree to our face but disagree once they are out of the room. This can create a lot of stress and we may begin to doubt ourselves. The flip behaviour in this case is more subtle and may lead to being deadly silent on a particular topic so others see us as inconclusive.
I recently trained some directors in coaching skills. During our discussion on the principles of awareness and control, participants experienced several light-bulb moments. One key concept stood out: “I can only control what I am aware of. What I am unaware of controls me; awareness empowers me.” This idea suggests that greater awareness leads to improved performance.
As they grasped this concept, the directors became noticeably more motivated to learn, practice, and apply coaching techniques with their teams. They recognized that their role is not just to provide answers; it’s also to ask questions that enhance their team’s awareness. With greater awareness comes the power to make better and more effective decisions.
This principle also applies to the Paradox of Insightful Curiosity. How effectively are you raising your own awareness and that of your team? Are they consistently exploring the truth, or are they slipping into the imbalances mentioned earlier?
Many dogmatic politicians need to recognise the imbalances in their views. Without adaptation, they may face disruptive outcomes they don’t anticipate. Similarly, many well-known brands have faded into obscurity because their Boards of Directors were overly confident in their decisions and missed key market shifts. Other brands have disappeared by constantly chasing the latest fads, losing sight of their core principles. Neither strategy proves effective. In today’s uncertain political and economic climate, you and your team must reflect on where you stand and what the truth really is.
Many of our clients are now leveraging the powerful insights available from the Harrison Paradox Report. These reports help them differentiate between strong traits and genuine strengths.
A strong trait can sometimes be unbalanced. Thus, it becomes a genuine strength only when it is paired with the right complementary trait. This combination helps avoid any unintended consequences.
If you’re interested in discovering where you and your managers stand on this paradox and the other eleven in the assessment, please reach out at info@talent4performance.co.uk
Check out the short 150-second video about this paradox on LinkedIn:
How well are you seeking the Truth?
Remember, especially as you consider your opinions . . . Stay Curious!
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