Truth Decay
I thought I would try a typically topical rant on belief which will be totally unintelligible in a few months (as opposed to the normal few seconds of reading my usual tosh). It combines vaccines, popularism, and Brexit. These are all highly contentious/tedious topics and I expect most of you will have swiped left by now. For those too slow to do so, or who didn’t get the reference, let me explain how this relates to our work (or for some, enforced leisure) life.
Some of the big news items this week are about conflicting beliefs.
Truth Ache
- For instance, the COVID-19 vaccine trials are proceeding well, with each announcement bigging up their results. Expect claims of 110% effectiveness by next week. BUT less than half of Americans (and just 53% of Brits) say they would get vaccinated.
- In old news from last week 79 million Americans can’t understand why 73 million Americans voted for the “Worst. Man. Ever. Period.”
- And as we reach the death-rattle for our Brexit fiasco, 48% of the population still don’t understand why the other 52% voted leave.
Truth Pick
Regardless of which side of the line you are on in each case above, you will be convinced that not only are you right, but also that the other half are not just wrong, but also vile, nasty and thick sub-human beings. Because we know the truth, and they are spouting lies. It doesn’t help that ‘facts’ and ‘evidence’ have been hijacked by extreme views and fake news (the term ‘truth decay’ is increasingly appearing in the media) – we are all selective in hearing what supports our beliefs.
Mental Hygiene
Have you spotted the common theme here? Well the point I’m trying to make is that everyone’s belief system is highly personal and also, at times, highly flawed. These beliefs affect individual and group behaviour, making attempts to institute major change or transformation programmes incredibly difficult. Most sensible people are just as prone to these aberrations as the outer fringes. If you don’t understand or take account of these belief systems, you won’t be able to influence their behaviour, or therefore get them to change their ways of thinking and, ultimately, working.
Mental Flossing
Terry Pratchett used the term Headology to describe the principle that what people believe is what is real. So, think about guiding your sheep, or should I say colleagues, into doing what you want them to do, by understanding and influencing their beliefs. Try sharing with them the values that guide your own actions. Engage them and explain complex and difficult decisions. Ask for honest feedback and act on it, even if it is just to disagree, as long as you can justify why. In short behave like the leader they need, not just another (Ma)cavity with a fake veneer. Funny how many leaders have forgotten this.
John “Wisdom Truth” Moe
Founder and cloud accounting technologist at Bridge Financials. Delivering financial system solutions to empower businesses through clarity and insights
4 年Such a good read John Moe; the ability to see another viewpoint, even if you don't agree with it, has always been difficult, and we mustn't think it was always blue skies and happy days in the past. But am I alone in thinking there's something deeply disturbing about where we found ourselves now?
Business/Tech Strategy in the messy reality. Been there, can help. Finding the path from here to there, and it really can be done. Custom offshore software development and engineering. CIO100 panel 2025.
4 年Two reactions. Firstly once you have taken time to see things through the eyes of the people you want to influence, maybe you will have better insight into your own plans and the things you want those people to do. You might even change your mind. After all, we are not always right. Not even me. Secondly, I just learned you can swipe a LinkedIn post left in the app. ??