Want to Get Better? Embrace the Confusion
Your brain is an unreliable narrator and might be working against you
A bold statement: This episode of The Knowledge Project is probably the most useful work-related podcast episode I’ve listened to. I listen to it every quarter to remind myself of the ways I block my own success.
So, as I head into my own, personal “annual” planning for 2023, i’m going to be listening to it again on a long roadtrip.
This is highly relevant for you if:
You’re leading in a highly complex (even chaotic) environment
You’re leading a team that is growing
If you’re responsible for hiring great talent
If you’re committed to building a great culture in your company
If you’re trying to get better as a leader
Jeff Hunter (of Talentism) is a guy that’s been talking to, hiring and coaching top leaders for years. He’s got deep experience making hard choices and he, in a way, unloads a lot of it in this talk. I’m specifically interested in his experiences at Bridgewater, Ray Dalio’s investment firm.
Hunter argues that we’re all sort of on autopilot, that we’re just moving forward. He makes a persuasive case that we should see each day as a series of experiments where we can trial and learn. And, more importantly, we should embrace the confusion we feel when things get don’t go as planned and we should see confusion as a sign that we’re in a position to learn.
We should be examining the gap between what we expected to happen vs what actually happened and seek to understand our assumptions and our knowledge gaps.
The key insight is really kind of obvious, but comes across clearly here: We’re not actually rationale beings, that what we’re experiencing may be driven more by what we *feel* vs what is actually happening. Our own brains make up stories about what’s happening and why and these stories – the narratives we fit our experiences into so they make sense to us – get in the way of true clarity about what’s really occurring and how we interpret the experience.
Finally, this whole podcast is worth it for three things:
How to avoid telling yourself the wrong story about performance (beyond avoiding negative self talk)
How to give better constructive feedback
How to get smarter about the hires you make
Background: Shane Parish has been inspiring me via his Farnham Street platform where he focuses on tools that help you make decisions, better. I love the mission, and for years he’s been providing a ton of great resources for leaders. His curiosity is on display in every interview and he might be the perfect guy for this interview.