What are the five ``cognitive distortions'' that hinder work communication?
Communication with colleagues, superiors, and stakeholders is essential for smooth work and success.
Want to Communicate Effectively at Work? Eliminate these 5 Cognitive Distortions - TechTello
https://www.techtello.com/avoid-these-cognitive-distortions-to-communicate-effectively/
Cognitive distortions are the term for extreme or irrational thought patterns that impair the ability to think rationally and negatively affect decision-making and communication. The five cognitive distortions that Bansal claims to hinder work-related communication are:
◆ 1: Heavenly Reward Error
People hope that their diligence and efforts will be appreciated and rewarded someday, but they are not necessarily rewarded for their efforts at work. People who are motivated by external rewards and recognition at work feel anger and disappointment when they are not rewarded. Sometimes I devote myself to work even at the expense of it.
For example, let's say you've sacrificed your family and leisure time for a big project at work, and you've reached the point of success. However, when the project is almost finished, there is a reorganization within the company, and the priority of the project may be lowered and it may disappear. Bansal points out that the more people believe that their efforts and sacrifices will always be rewarded, the greater the anger and disappointment at this time.
As a way to deal with this cognitive distortion, Bansal says, ``You shouldn't measure your efforts by the tangible results you've achieved. Think about it,” he said. By redefining the scale of value from external rewards and evaluations to something internal, and by separating the 'inputs' such as effort and sacrifice from the 'outputs' resulting from them, we can correct the distortion of cognition. ... apparently ...
◆ 2:
This cognitive distortion is that experts in a particular field mistakenly believe that other people are as knowledgeable as they are. Misjudging the amount of knowledge and understanding others have can lead to forgetting to share important information and creating discrepancies in communication.
For example, when a veteran engineer guides a new engineer assigned to the same team, he/she may inadvertently fail to convey the context and knowledge shared within the team, or skip work procedures that are difficult to understand from the outside. there is. Of course, the new engineer can not understand what the veteran says and the work does not progress, but the veteran engineer may fall into a vicious circle dissatisfied with 'Why can't I do such a simple thing?'
Bansal recommends ``communicating with a 5-year-old child'' as a way to avoid this cognitive distortion. Bansal said that beginners can avoid being caught in the curse of knowledge by explaining using basic concepts and simple words without using complicated jargon.
◆ 3:
Fundamental attribution error refers to making judgments based on images and prejudices such as “this person is that kind of person” without a thorough analysis of the situational factors that contribute to their behavior. When we think of people we don't know very well, we tend to attribute their actions to their character and disposition, but in reality people make decisions according to various constraints and circumstances. If you do not recognize this point, you may have a wrong image of the people you work with, and there is a possibility that communication will be cut off.
For example, consider the situation where a new employee joins the work team. Even though it's his first day on the team, the newcomer is checking his phone many times during the meeting and can't seem to concentrate. The boss may decide that ``this new employee is useless,'' but in reality, ``my mother was seriously ill and was hospitalized, and I was waiting for a call from the hospital.'' There is also a possibility.
Fundamental attribution errors occur because the brain tries to shortcut redundant thoughts, and these shortcuts can be beneficial. Therefore, although it is difficult to completely eliminate the fundamental attribution error, it is important to ask questions such as 'Why did this person behave this way?' If so, under what circumstances? and Is it possible that this person behaved that way due to some factor?
◆ 4: Error of change
This cognitive distortion leads us to believe that our happiness and success depend on the people around us, and that if the people around us change, we will be able to achieve happiness and success. But this thinking misses the point that happiness is internal rather than external. People with this cognitive distortion also desire changes in others that they cannot actually control, increasing the likelihood of conflict and disappointment with others.
Specifically, 'I would be happier at work if my boss stopped meticulously managing the details' and 'I would be happier at work if my co-workers just listened to me instead of nagging me.' becomes meaningful” applies to this.
In order to deal with errors in change, it is effective to shift from the idea of ``how can I hear my voice?'' to the idea of ``how can I create value in my voice?'' Bansal recommends focusing on behaviors you can control, such as thinking about how you communicate your ideas, the gaps between you and your team, and having open conversations with others.
◆ 5: Bicycle storage concept (Parkinson's vulgar law)
Parkinson's Law of Mundaneity is a cognitive distortion whereby we tend to neglect important issues while spending a disproportionate amount of time on trivial matters. This is because many tasks and cognitive resources are required to tackle large and complex problems, while minor problems can be discussed with less resources. Bansal points out that while people preferentially digest easy tasks and are satisfied that they have done a lot of work, they tend to postpone really important tasks.
The name 'bicycle storage concept' is derived from the fact that when a committee tackles the issues 'plans for construction of a nuclear power plant' and 'construction of a bicycle storage area', many people think that the discussion of a nuclear power plant that is too complicated and too large It's based on the analogy of a low-key, yet lively debate about small, understandable bike parking. Many similar situations can be considered, and Mr. Bansal cites an example of ``In software development, people tend to start simple tasks immediately and spend time, while complex and core tasks tend to be postponed.'' I'm here.
A good way to avoid this problem in meetings is to set clear objectives for all topics and have someone point out when things are about to get off track. Regarding individual tasks, Bansal argued that it is important to be aware of the possibility that you are caught in Parkinson's law of vulgarity and to prioritize important tasks over easy tasks. .
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