Have you ever:
- attributed your own bad behavior to circumstances?
- attributed others people’s bad behavior to their character?
Consider for example an employee who was late for a meeting. Did you coin him as being “lazy”?
Many cognitive biases affect our behavior as person and as leader, and one of the most important, and troubling, errors that we tend to make is the ‘Fundamental Attribution Error’ (FAE).
What we see as a person problem is often a situation problem
The error lies in our inclination to attribute people’s behavior to the way they are, rather than to the situation they are in. Or in other words, what we see as a person problem is often a situation problem.
Existence of the FAE is completely logical; it is easier and faster to assume that people’s behavior is based only on their internal traits, than to account for all situational factors that might play a role.
However, the FAE is destructive in connection and collaboration and extends ineffective communication.
To avoid the Fundamental Attribution Error as a leader, the following 5 questions will help you:
- What mood am I in? A positive mood is the simplest antidote against FAE.
- How was his previous performance, ie how was the time-management of this employee in the last 5 meetings?
- What thoughts am I fueling myself with, when it comes to that employee? More negative thoughts lead to faster application of the FAE.
- Under what circumstances can I see myself or others behave in a similar manner?
- What data can I gather to improve my point of view?
Have you ever:
- attributed your own bad behavior to circumstances?
- attributed others people’s bad behavior to their character?
Consider for example an employee who was late for a meeting. Did you coin him as being “lazy”?
Many cognitive biases affect our behavior as person and as leader, and one of the most important, and troubling, errors that we tend to make is the ‘Fundamental Attribution Error’ (FAE).
What we see as a person problem is often a situation problem
The error lies in our inclination to attribute people’s behavior to the way they are, rather than to the situation they are in. Or in other words, what we see as a person problem is often a situation problem.
Existence of the FAE is completely logical; it is easier and faster to assume that people’s behavior is based only on their internal traits, than to account for all situational factors that might play a role.
However, the FAE is destructive in connection and collaboration and extends ineffective communication.
To avoid the Fundamental Attribution Error as a leader, the following 5 questions will help you:
- What mood am I in? A positive mood is the simplest antidote against FAE.
- How was his previous performance, ie how was the time-management of this employee in the last 5 meetings?
- What thoughts am I fueling myself with, when it comes to that employee? More negative thoughts lead to faster application of the FAE.
- Under what circumstances can I see myself or others behave in a similar manner?
- What data can I gather to improve my point of view?
