The Evil Always Come from Details?!

Does the evil always come from details?! When it comes to write a scientific article, one is committed to report and discuss all the obtained results and to describe how these findings can contribute to the state of the art. However, this turns out to be a double-edged-sword. The more detailed and unfiltered you write, the more likelihood of being caught by reviewers and finding yourself entering a vicious circle. Thus, if it is not necessary to report, it is necessary not to report! Giving too much details of your past experience in job interviews, indeed, sounds silly and trivial. Details are being lost and undermined in the shadow of time value and of “straight-to-the-pointness!” However, in this over-consuming world where more is less, giving away little details is also impractical. Giorgio Armani once quoted that to create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail. Detailed-oriented people are usually meticulous, punctual, organized and well-ordered. Precision, accuracy and neatness are also woven with this type of personality. Nevertheless, like so many other things in life, a balance should be struck between the amount of details that needs to be shared and the type of situation or person which/who is supposed to receive the details. As we approach the third decade of the 21st century, a question is posed as to whether “detail-oriented personalities” are respected and valued in fast-paced work environments?

On the downside, detail-oriented personalities are often criticized for failing to see the big picture, and sometimes for being too perfectionist to get the job done in a reasonable time. Does this indicate that detail-oriented people fail to fit into the personality traits of managers and leaders? And those who are into “big picture personality” are simply bossing them around so as to serve their goals? In other words, what is the possibility of a detail-oriented person to end up in leadership positions?

While the big picture thinkers seem to better fit into leadership roles, given the fact that they would like to create ideas, tackle big challenges and come up with systematic solutions for their ongoing projects, they can be forgetful and “all over the place”. As opposed to detail-oriented individuals, a big picture person is excited enough to think about getting to Z without paying enough attention on how to go from point A to point B! Having said that, it appears that entry-level jobs in which details, accuracy and thoroughness are of utmost importance, are an absolute disaster for big picture thinkers. Naturally, those who value both detail-oriented thinking and big picture mentality will enjoy a greater opportunity to be successful in their careers.

Apart from understanding how much data and information are needed to be shared with people around, it is also crucial to ponder on the kind of information that is shared: whether you are giving your subjective perspective based on your personal feelings or you are merely expressing your objective perspective which is not influenced by your emotions and beliefs. Francis Bacon (1561–1626), the English philosopher and politician, goes on to quote Bias, one of the seven wise men of ancient Greece: "Do not betray even to your friend too much of your real purposes and thoughts; in conversation, ask questions oftener than you express opinions; and when you speak, offer data and information rather than beliefs and judgments!”