A few years ago, I advised a sales team whose job involved making cold calls. The team members would often attribute successful sales to their own skill and expertise, while blaming external factors like poor leads or bad timing for any failures. This is just one of many examples I can think of from my experience working with leaders across organizations and industries that illustrates a common human bias.
3 Strategies for Making Better, More Informed Decisions
How to overcome the limitations of our self-serving biases.
May 25, 2023
Javier Zayas Photography/Getty Images
Summary.
As humans, we tend to interpret information in a way that confirms our existing beliefs and serves our own self-interest. In situations that lack clarity, we often make assumptions that serve to bolster our egos and self-esteem. We selectively interpret information to support our own position, and overlook or dismiss information that contradicts our views. This is known as the self-serving bias, and it can lead to suboptimal decision-making or even contribute to conflict, as we become more entrenched in our own positions and less willing to consider alternative perspectives. The author offers three strategies to help you combat this bias: 1) Consider the source of the information you’re relying on; 2) Think counterfactually about previous decisions you’ve made; and 3) Seek out information that challenges your assumptions.