Building Your Leadership - Functional Fixedness

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In the last decade of mentoring lawyers, accountants, and other professionals to grow their practice and build their personal brand, I notice repetitive behavior.

The brain of many of my mentees was functionally fixed.

What !?

Let me explain.

Functional fixedness is a phenomenon where a person's brain associates a tool, item, or object with only one specific use, due to repeated use.

Although not always harmful, it can hinder relationships and career growth by limiting creative thinking.

Maybe you recognize it also with yourself (continue reading to discover more. you'll be positively surprised!).

To avoid its negative impact, it's important to understand functional fixedness, its connection to mental sets, and ways to overcome it.

“To avoid its negative impact, it's important to understand functional fixedness, its connection to mental sets, and ways to overcome it.” CLICK TO TWEET

This is the reason for this important and insightful edition on ‘functional fixedness’ and how can you prevent it to accelerate the growth of your practice.

What is functional fixedness?

Functional fixedness was first defined by German psychologist Karl Duncker in 1945. Karl Duncker described functional fixedness as a mental block when using an object in a new way that is required to solve a problem

The candle and box of tacks were the most famous research conducted on functional fixedness. [Why don’t you try the experiment yourself while reading the edition?]

So, you have a candle, matches and a box of pins(or thumbtacks). You must find a way to light the candle on the wall. You can poke as many tacks on the wall as you like.

When Duncker gave participants the same exercise, most people tried to push the tack through the candle into the wall. Some tried melting wax to stick the candle.

Very few people thought of using the box of nails as a holder for the candle.?Participants considered the box’s function as an object that holds the pins. They failed to use it in a novel way to solve the problem.

In fact, functional fixedness is a type of cognitive bias where the brain becomes habituated to viewing a certain object, item, or tool in a specific manner, hindering the ability to think of new and imaginative solutions.

It is deeply rooted in the brain and can even be detected in brain imaging tests. A study from 2018 showed that the frontal and temporoparietal regions of the brain are highly active during creative problem-solving.

This demonstrates that preconceived notions, such as functional fixedness, can obstruct imaginative problem-solving.

“Functional fixedness, can obstruct imaginative problem-solving.” CLICK TO TWEET

In fact, ‘functional fixedness’ acts as a mental shortcut, simplifying tasks by reducing the need for extensive thought.

However, this habit can also limit creativity and lead to a reliance on established solutions instead of exploring alternative, potentially more innovative options.

Maybe that explains some of the limitations you notice in your practice or career growth.

Now you see the importance of it.

Let’s dive even deeper.

Building Internal Relationship

It is important to note that functional fixedness can have a significant impact on interpersonal relationships.

When an individual perceives another person in a narrowly defined role, it can prove challenging to navigate circumstances that deviate from this prescribed role. This can have far-reaching consequences for the relationships within the firm.

Want an example?

Let's take a look at a real-life scenario.

Imagine a professional firm where one team has been handling a specific task for many years. The employees in that team have become experts in the task and see it as their defining role within the firm.

However, changes in the market or the firm's goals mean that the task is no longer a priority and must be handed over to a different team at the firm. The employees in the original team struggle to let go of the task and see it as their responsibility, even though it's no longer a core part of their job description.

The employees in the new team, meanwhile, have a fixed idea of their own roles and responsibilities and are resistant to taking on the new task. They see it as outside the scope of their job and are unwilling to tackle the new challenge.

This is a clear example of functional fixedness.

Both the original team and the new department are stuck in their thought patterns, unable to see the task in a new light and come up with creative solutions.

To resolve the issue, the firm needs to challenge the functional fixedness of both teams and encourage a more flexible, adaptable approach.

By doing so, they can find a solution that works for everyone and ensures the task is completed effectively and efficiently.

So, I assume your next question is - are there any ideas on how to prevent functional fixedness?

The answer is yes.

Prevention Ideas

Professional service firm growth and success may be based on big innovations or success may be due to taking small steps in the best way.

Finding simple ways to have?an edge on the competition or reduce costs can form incremental gains than keeps firms moving ahead of their competition.

“Finding simple ways to have?an edge on the competition or reduce costs can form incremental gains than keeps firms moving ahead of their competition.” CLICK TO TWEET

This is why it is so important to make sure your employees are always working to be open to new or different options.

So, let me suggest some small, everyday ideas you can use to help prevent functional fixedness.

Idea #1: Identifying the Basic Elements

Think about the hammer-and-nail scenario.

The objective here isn't simply to stick a nail into a piece of wood, right?

What we're really trying to do is to secure a long, pointy metal object into a piece of wood to hold it in place.

But, here's the thing. There are other ways to accomplish this goal.

So, here's what I want you to do.

Think about this hammer-and-nail scenario, and then apply it to other problems that you may come across.

Ask yourself, "Is there a different, more creative way to solve this problem?"

By breaking down a problem into its basic elements, you can often find new and innovative solutions.

Idea #2: Finding Other Areas of Expertise

It's quite fascinating how people from different backgrounds or walks of life can come up with unique applications for everyday objects or new perspectives to solve problems.

Consider someone who uses a clothes hanger to hold their phone while cooking in the kitchen.

This practical solution might not occur to someone who has never faced the challenge of trying to follow a recipe while keeping their phone handy.

Similarly, in various industries or academic spheres, individuals may draw inspiration from individuals who bring a fresh angle to a common concept.

This is a testament to the value of diverse perspectives and ideas in problem-solving.

This scenario highlights the importance of diverse experiences and backgrounds in problem-solving.

Different people can bring unique perspectives to everyday challenges and come up with innovative solutions that others may not have thought of.

So, next time you face a problem, don't be afraid to look beyond your own experiences and draw inspiration from a variety of sources.

Idea #3: Adapt “Design Thinking”

The term "design thinking" is a widely used phrase also nowadays in the professional service industry.

It involves considering the purpose and function of a service from the perspective of the person who will be using it.

This means putting oneself in the user's shoes and examining the service through their lens, to ensure that it meets their specific needs and requirements.

In other words, it's a process that prioritizes the user's experience when designing a service.

As I did many times with law firms and accounting firms that I train, I use the ‘design thinking’ process to help a firm develop better internal relationships and retain talents.

To help you out, here’s the general outline of the?design thinking?process you can use internally within your firm:

1. Show Empathy -?Put yourself in your colleague's shoes and understand their unique issue.
2. Define?their needs - Clarify your colleagues’ necessities, recognize any hurdles they see, and reflect on what you learn from considering this information.
3. Envision?various solutions - to the problems.
4. Experiment with potential solutions - that could benefit both of you.
5. Evaluate the solutions - to determine if they effectively address the needs of both you and your colleague.

The bottom line

Professional service firms often struggle to develop breakthrough services because they are hobbled by Functional Fixedness.

“Professional service firms often struggle to develop breakthrough services because they are hobbled by Functional Fixedness.” CLICK TO TWEET

Professionals not only have their own expertise, but they also have their own way of applying their expertise. Ironically, the more successful they’ve had with their approach to a solution, the harder it is to imagine a different one.

Your mind, by instinct, will grab onto the most common method of solving a problem or completing a task. You have to help your brain think out of the box. The solution lies in questioning yourself.

So, do not forget to keep asking yourself, “Is there a different way to do this?” Sometimes breakthroughs occur during the moments you least expect.

Try to identify when this cognitive bias has positive and negative effects on your happiness or success, especially in your relationships at work.

Practice thinking creatively every day, even in small conflicts, and you may be able to create new ways of thinking about building internal relationships that can lead to a better work environment and innovative problem-solving.

In what other areas can avoiding functional fixedness be beneficial for you?

Please share your comments and input with me, I read every comment personally.

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Itzik is considered the global leading authority on business development, business networking, client relationships, and personal branding. He is a highly sought-after international speaker, trainer, business mentor, & attorney-at-law. He is also the bestselling author of “The Attention Switch ” & Founder of THE SWITCH?? , the leading online training, and education platform for professionals globally. Itzik teaches, trains, and mentors lawyers, other professionals, and professional firms to attract and win their ideal clients by becoming seen as authorities in their field, creating and maintaining successful and strategic relationships, and learning to SWITCH their relationships to referrals+revenue+results.

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