What are Cognitive Biases?
Cognitive biases (heuristics) make a lot of sense. They are a hangover from our primal instincts when we used to hunt and gather. However, with the overload of information, we have today, we cannot process everything and therefore, we take shortcuts.
This can be useful in finding a speedy way out of a difficult position, but how does it affect the long term?
To illustrate how bias can affect robust problem-solving, I have written a short (non-Shakespearean) play.
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SUPERTECH (The Stageplay) The curtains rise, and the Maintenance Technician enters from stage right in his red cape. Supertech: “Solving problems is easy. I have seen the problem before, and I know what to do to fix it”. (Thinks aloud: I even have the spares stashed away in my locked cupboard for every time this machine fails). Olly Operator: “Perhaps we should work on it as a team?” Supertech: “No need Olly, grab a cupper while I fix it.” 30mins later, the line is running again. Prod Manager: “Thanks SUPERTECH, we’d be lost without you.” Tech looks wistfully at the audience: “I am indeed a hero for getting the line running again. Just like I was last time.” The audience cheers while the production staff shrug. |
What biases are on display? Here are just a few:
- Confirmation bias: We have pre-existing beliefs. We enact solutions that confirm these beliefs as opposed to challenging them. Supertech presumably knows what to do; therefore, the business remains closed to new ideas.
- Authority bias: We favour Supertech’s opinion due to his authority. Any innovative ideas from the rest of the team are dismissed or ignored.
- Self-serving bias: Supertech makes decisions that enhance his own self-esteem. His decisions are loaded with his own personal agenda rather than what is best for the business overall.
To quote Henry David Thoreau:
“There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.”
When we really want to get to the root of the problem, we must recognise the biases that will stop us from getting there.
So many times in my working life have I heard, “No point in going through this problem-solving exercise – we know what the issue is!”. How do we know? Because the problem keeps happening.
Only by recognising and ‘calling out’ biases can we truly enter the long-term robust solutions domain.
David Newland; QLD Operations Manager.
Interested in this subject? Drop me a message in the comments or feel free to book a Zoom meeting with me.
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IPA topic: process improvement
