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You Can’t Handle the Truth (Leading in the Post-Truth Era)

By David Witmer posted 09-25-2017 08:32

  
Truth-1.jpg​Jack Nicolson’s (or Col Jessup’s) classic line in the movie A Few Good Men provides insights into leadership. In the movie, Tom Cruise (Lieutenant Kaffee) presses Col Jessup during testimony indicating he wants the “the truth” and his angry reply dismisses Lieutenant Kaffee’s request. The story line of the movie revolves around leadership styles and the death of a young Marine who is hazed at the direction of a senior officer. My last blog discussed the toxic effects of bullying in the workplace, but in this post I’d like to focus on the myth of “the truth”.

In today’s era of “fake news” and heated political rhetoric it is increasingly evident that we all have our own individual perception of the truth. Your employees, patients, members, or customers’ perceptions are based on their life experiences. Science tells us that eye-witness testimony is often highly inaccurate. Multiple people witnessing the same event often report different versions of what occurred. Our memories also change over time and can be influence by how others describe events.

The reality is that there is not one true reality. Everyone’s reality is shaped by their individual perceptions. These perceptions are shaped a great deal by their life experiences. Family, education, race, gender, career, and even where we live all impact how we perceive reality. So, when leading any group or organization it is important to remember that to each individual “the truth” is really the truth as they perceive it. Col Jessep had his version of the truth which was very different from that of Lieutenant Kaffee and in the workplace, we all act on our own interpretation of the truth.

Unfortunately, simply presenting the facts is not very effective. I won’t even go into the examples from the political world where people cling to their beliefs and ignored well-researched information in fact-check columns that refute false narratives. A great example in health care is the anti-vax movement. Despite robust efforts by health care professionals to educate antivaxers about safety of vaccines, the criticality of maintaining herd immunity to protect everyone, and the debunking claims stemming from falsified research, antivaxers only grow bolder in their beliefs. A recent piece by Maggie Fox discusses the issue. A few interesting quotes from this article illustrate the challenge:

“For the record, all these claims have been repeatedly refuted. But this group doesn’t trust the debunkers, whether they’re from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases or the World Health Organization.

…UCLA’s Cherry is not surprised by these arguments. “You can’t present some people with facts, because they believe what they want to believe,” he said. “When there is an obvious fact, they’ll stick with what they believed before rather than accepting the fact.”

…Studies support this assertion, also. Much research has shown that debunking a myth usually serves to strengthen the incorrect beliefs, not to weaken them.”

Another good read on this phenomenon is Why Hard Facts Aren't Enough to Alter Our Beliefs by Tali Sharot. Sharot’s research demonstrates that “hard facts are not enough to alter beliefs, and they are practically useless for motivating action.” Her research also suggests that “...framing advice to highlight how things can improve is more effective at changing behavior than warnings and threats, because it generates hope in people.”

So what strategies can you use to manage where there is no one single “truth”? First, recognize that people act on their individual perceptions and not on one clear reality. Whether leading a staff or selling a product it is important to gain more insight into their perceptions of the truth. Building your understanding of the perceptions of others and what drives them enables you to communicate more effectively. Your messages will be more effective when you can address concerns, misconceptions, and empathize with your target audience. So talk to your staff, do market research, and try to understand their perception of the truth.

In some cases, presenting facts can influence and change perceptions. This is most effective when there is compelling data, but perhaps more importantly, when personal values and beliefs are aligned with the decision at hand. In such cases, presenting quality market research and the implications of strategic direction can be effective.

The situation becomes much more complex when values influence perceptions. In these situations, it can be especially difficult. Personal agendas can easily creep into the discussions. One effective strategy in such circumstances can be to present a situational analysis. Be thorough and catalog all aspects of a key decision or strategy. Describe what is known and what is not. Present options with an honest assessment of pros and cons. Allow thorough discussion of the issues making sure everyone participates and encouraging honest dialog even when there is disagreement. Sometimes it is just important that people feel like they have had a chance to express their concerns. Involving a larger group also makes it easier to accept the decision of the community rather than just the boss’s wishes. Sharot’s research also suggests that " …our desires are what shape our beliefs; our need for agency, our craving to be right, a longing to feel part of a group.” By taking an inclusive approach and building to a consensus decision by the group you can create this feeling of belonging to the group and enhance support for the final decision.

The most important thing to remember is that people act on their perceptions, not on reality as you see it. The better your understanding of their beliefs and motivations the more effective you can be in motivating change in strategy or behavior.

I welcome other thoughts on successful approaches to manage where facts and perceptions do not align. What has worked for you?



#ASHPStaff #Management #PharmacyPracticeManagers #Leadership
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