More often than not, a significant number of roles require that one operates in a transactional space; that is, getting things done or better known as ticking boxes. In the context of leadership, this can get in the way of how we work with people.
A fast-thinking brain as outlined by Lawson, Larrich & Soll (2020) operates in a subconscious way. With no conscious thought, responses may be emotional and reflective of quick judgments. A slow-thinking brain however is conscious, intentional, and more often than not quite rational. So, this paradox of choice invites leaders to think about how they work with staff and how staff members see them. It also invites thought about where leaders may want to spend their time.
The invisible gorilla experiment designed by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons highlights that sometimes, our minds do not process in the way we think they do. Sometimes “we can be blind to the obvious, and blind to our blindness” (Kahneman, 2013). So maybe, leaders might want to consider developing quality relationships with all members of staff; get to know them, empower and grow them so that when challenges occur they are able to use their slow-thinking brain to think about an appropriate, and dignity-rich course of mutually beneficial action.
Just a thought….what is yours?