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David Marx in “Status and Culture “writes how the communication on the internet has exploded but the content and impact are so limited. We are so inundated with I information and content that none of it seems to sink in. This is evident in much of our society. TV has grown dramatically but lacks the impact of prior years. For example, Gunsmoke decades ago drew 20 % of the T.V. audience but popular shows like NCIS only draw 2-4%.
In general, we are missing leadership and significant popular phenomenon. Music, art, politics, etc. seem void of leaders, innovation and popularity. Much of the news is crime, killings and despair rather than anything positive. Even the tech boom and its billionaires seem to have peaked. Look at the decline in Musk’s popularity and wealth lately.
What we need is more innovation and communication. We need to support people more and listen. In particular we need to ensure that we explore alternative ideas and approaches. Testing may be more valuable than lengthy research. Hugging is actually encouraged to support these behaviors.
Two critical issues in restricting decisions and behavior are bias and denial. A difficult aspect of denial and bias as opposed to say simple lying is that much of it can be unconscious and thus more difficult to change. For example, we frequently avoid the impact of uncomfortable issues like I.Q., sex, religion and wealth on behavior. However, I just don’t believe praying for your sports team affects the outcome.
Openness can also facilitate new behavior. Organizations need to be open to measurement and feedback. Observing, understanding and sharing financials, operations reports, and sales reports are the first step. Simple research studies that social media can provide are tools to use regularly. A management style such as the “walk around” and asking simply, “how are you doing, is there anything you need?” can be priceless. Look for alternatives and what if discussions.
Considering these and other factors can actually increase the potential of considering new innovative solutions out of the box solutions. In particular I argue that most organizations and individuals can afford more risk. Similarly challenging assumptions, parameters and bureaucracy can provide new alternatives and better decision making.
Related: Emotions Should Be an Advantage