Why We Struggle to See the Big Picture

Dear Colleague,?

Allow me to share some thoughts on a concept that influences all of us - especially given the nature of our work. The concept is called Cognitive Scope Limitation. With so much jargon going around, let us break it down in a way that’s easy to grasp and relevant to what we do every day.?

What Is Cognitive Scope Limitation?

Josh Kaufman explains that Cognitive Scope Limitation is essentially the idea that our brains can only process and focus on a limited amount of information at once. It’s like trying to juggle too many balls: At some point, we start dropping them. Our minds are amazing at dealing with specific, immediate issues, but when we’re asked to consider complex, abstract, or large-scale problems, we tend to get overwhelmed. We might not even realise this is happening – we just find it harder to engage or make decisions as the information load increases.?

Think about it like this: You can easily imagine the face of a friend, right? But if I asked you to picture a stadium full of 50,000 people, that’s almost impossible to truly grasp. Our minds just don’t have the capacity to visualize or deeply understand vast quantities of anything – whether it’s numbers, people, or data points.?

Why Does This Matter in Our Work?

In our daily tasks, especially when we’re dealing with strategy, planning, or big-picture thinking, Cognitive Scope Limitation can sneak up on us. We might start off strong, but as the scope of what we’re dealing with expands, our ability to manage and make sense of it all starts to diminish. This can lead to a few issues:?

1. Decision Paralysis: When we are faced with too many options or too much information, we might struggle to make decisions. We either freeze up, procrastinate, or resort to overly simplistic solutions just to get through it.
2. Tunnel Vision: To cope, we might start focusing on a smaller part of the problem that feels manageable, but this can cause us to miss important context or connections.
3. Burnout: Constantly trying to handle more than our cognitive capacity allows can lead to stress and exhaustion. We push ourselves to keep up, but the mental load takes its toll.

How Can We Manage Cognitive Scope Limitation?

The good news is, once we’re aware of this limitation, we can take steps to manage it better. Here are a few strategies that might help:?

• Break It Down: When faced with a large, complex task, break it into smaller, more manageable pieces. Tackle each part individually, and then gradually piece them together. This makes the whole process feel less overwhelming.
• Prioritise Ruthlessly: Not all information is created equal. Focus on what really matters and be willing to let go of details that aren’t essential to the task at hand. This doesn’t mean ignoring important things, but rather being strategic about where you put your mental energy.
• Collaborate: We don’t have to handle everything alone. By working together, we can share the cognitive load. Different perspectives can also help ensure that no critical aspect of a problem is overlooked.
• Take Breaks: Our brains need time to rest and reset. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a step back. A short break can often bring clarity and allow you to return with a fresher perspective.
• Use Tools and Visual Aids: Draw and write! Diagrams, charts, and other visual aids can help make complex information more digestible. Writing or drawing helps reduce the cognitive load on your brain, allowing you to see connections more clearly.?

Cognitive Scope Limitation really reminds us that we’re human. Our minds have incredible capabilities, but they also have limits. Recognising and respecting those limits doesn’t make us less effective. No, it can make us smarter in how we approach our work. So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by a big project or struggling to see the proverbial forest for the trees, remember this concept. It’s not about doing less. It’s about doing things more mindfully, with an awareness of how we’re wired to think.?

With warm regards,

Henry