Overcoming Irrational Thinking Patterns In Times Of Disruption

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As a change consultant and leader, it's important to recognize the impact irrational thinking patterns can have on business strategy and market recognition. It happens to you, to me, to everyone in the world, and no one is immune to it.

These patterns, not based on logic or evidence, can lead to bad decisions, and make it difficult for your organization to navigate times of accelerated change or disruption. Additionally, they can impact your ability to sense changes in the marketplace and make it harder for strategic decisions to realign your company to the new organization's objectives.

When you have irrational thoughts, it can also change the way you're perceived by others, because it can affect your behavior in ways that you may not be aware of, but the people around you're. And that is something that will also interfere with your leadership style and consistency.

It's also important to have in mind that during times of disruption or stress, our bodies produce high levels of the hormone cortisol, which can make it difficult for us to reframe our thoughts and challenge irrational thought patterns. This can lead to a decrease in Mental Agility, thing which will jeopardize the success of your business.

Here are five common irrational thinking patterns to watch out for and how to challenge them:

Binary thinking: We see things as either good or bad, with no shades of gray. For example, we view a new initiative as either a complete success or a total failure, rather than recognizing that it has both strengths and weaknesses. To challenge this thinking pattern, try asking, "What are the pros and cons of this situation or approach?"

Blaming Game: this is when we blame individuals or departments for things that aren't their fault, or when we take credit for things we had nothing to do with. To challenge this thinking pattern, try asking, "What external factors might have influenced this outcome?"

Catastrophizing: When we blow things up and assume the worst that could happen. For example, when faced with a setback, we may assume it'll lead to the complete failure of the business. To challenge this thinking pattern, try asking, "What is the most likely outcome in this situation, and how can we prepare for it?"

Neglecting the positive: This is when we dismiss or downplay our successes or positive experiences. For example, when we're praised for launching a new product, we might dismiss it or attribute it to luck instead of acknowledging our own hard work and accomplishments. To break this thinking pattern, try asking, "What specific actions or efforts contributed to this success?"

Absolutism: We believe that our ideas, beliefs, or actions are the only correct ones and that there are no other better options. Encourage critical thinking and seek other perspectives and opinions, and be open to feedback. To challenge this pattern of thinking, try asking, "What are other possible explanations for this situation?"

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Irrational thinking patterns can also interfere with your company's ability to sense changes in the marketplace and make strategic decisions harder. It's important to acknowledge and challenge these patterns in order to make more informed, rational decisions.

A great tool we use at Enterprise Agility University is the five signals sensing model. It can help better identify markets and make better decisions during times of disruption. I'll tell you more about it in future newsletters.

If you find that you or your team are having a hard time reframing their thoughts and challenging irrational thought patterns, you should take steps to manage your stress and lower your cortisol levels, such as using relaxation techniques, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep.

By taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing, you'll be better able to reframe your thoughts and challenge irrational thinking patterns so your organization can better influence change or deal with accelerated change.

It's important to regularly examine yourself (self-awareness) and your team to identify irrational thinking patterns that may be impacting your organization.

One way to do this is to ask meaningful questions that will help you and your team think more critically and objectively. For example, you might ask, "What evidence do we have to support this belief or decision?" or "How might others view this situation differently?"

By asking questions like these, you can help your team challenge their own assumptions and biases, leading to more informed and rational decisions. You can find more examples of this in my book Leading Exponential change, now available for free.

Another way to combat irrational thinking patterns is to seek different perspectives and encourage open, honest dialog within your organization.

By fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and valued, you can create a culture of critical thinking that helps your team challenge its own biases and assumptions.

Another approach to addressing irrational thinking is to cultivate a work environment that prioritizes the physical and emotional wellbeing of employees. By making employee wellbeing a priority and a clear value, individuals will be better equipped to manage irrational thoughts.

As you can see, irrational thinking patterns can hinder organizational change and problem-solving, especially during times of accelerated change or disruption. By recognizing and challenging these patterns, you can help your team make more informed and rational decisions that align with your organization's goals.

We are developing new ways for adapting to rapid change that enable you to more effectively assess the new landscape, better identify markets, and build organizations of more rational thoughts that are always ready, always responsive, and always innovative.

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