Mind Knots is for leaders, teams, and businesses.

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The content of this book lives at the intersection of leadership, business and psychology.

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In the mind of every captain can be found “mind knots.” These are just what they sound like: distortions and tangles in perception and thinking that produce poor decisions, leading to bad outcomes that could have been avoided.

 

It’s a uniquely human problem. No one is immune.

 

We bring to each decision the complications of our own preconceptions and biases. Sometimes we get lucky, and our biases actually produce a good result. But that’s not often the case in complex situations.

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Mind knots describe cognitive and emotional biases.

These knots can wreak havoc for leaders at any level of an organization.

 

In leadership, where good judgment and decision-making are paramount. It's dangerous to think of mind knots as an asset.

Without knowing how to manage them, mostly they are not.

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Mind knots create a form of tunnel vision in which the leader—let’s call him or her the captain, as in the captain of a ship—perceives everything through a personal lens.

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The self, consisting of all the beliefs, memories, and preconceptions held by the captain as a result of the mind knots that live in the captain’s subconscious, becomes preeminent.

 

Leaders and their biases are a package deal. And cognitive biases cannot be eliminated, only managed. To ignore them is to turn a blind eye to one of the greatest risks in leadership.

 

Cognitive and emotional biases are in play every day,

swaying the decisions we make and the actions we take.

 

Unmanaged, problems occur and usually compound. Understanding how our biases can sway and deceive us gives us the opportunity to identify signals and pick up clues that suggest we may not be seeing or thinking as clearly as we think we are.

 

You own your mind knots. Either you lead them, or they will lead you.

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Adapted from Mind Knots