Have we lost the art of being wrong?
I wrote about this in my last post, here. First, let’s take a closer look at the art of being wrong.
At its core, being wrong requires acceptance that our understanding may be limited, out-of-date, or simply fallible. This requires intellectual humility. According to social and personality psychologist Mark Leary, “intellectual humility is simply the recognition that the things you believe in might in fact be wrong.”
This is not about a lack of self-esteem, confidence, or being a pushover. People with intellectual humility think methodically. They are open to the possibility that they may be wrong and seek to learn from the experience, knowledge, and expertise of others. The intellectually humble have an active curiosity about their blind spots. When they are wrong, they are more likely to admit it. They understand that when we admit we’re wrong, we can grow closer to the truth.
In today’s complex world, this is not always easy. Even great leaders can fall into any of the five common blind spot categories:
- Experience
- Personality
- Values
- Strategy
- Conflict
Great leaders recognize and acknowledge that they have cognitive blind spots. They also carefully examine and choose their convictions. When they identify errors, mistakes, or new understanding, they promptly admit it.
The Art of Being Wrong in Organizations
In my work with organizations, I have found that the art of being wrong can be mastered as a corporate culture. This requires support from leadership: proper mindset and models.
In “Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error” (HarperCollins 2010), author Kathryn Schulz describes two models of wrongness:
- Pessimistic model: errors are dangerous, humiliating, distasteful, and un-fun.
- Optimistic model: errors are a surprise of bafflement, fascination, excitement, hilarity, and delight.
With the second model, innovation is more likely to occur. This culture is highly agile, adaptable, and productive.
What’s happening in your organization? How do you describe the art of being wrong? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here, on LinkedIn, or give me a call: 561-582-6060.
