Egocentric Bias

Impact on LEADERSHIP AND BUSINESS

Treasure:

In leadership, a “treasure” of the egocentric bias is that it contributes to self-assured and confident decision-making. While this is largely due to prioritizing one’s own instincts and beliefs, when leaders are confident in their own abilities and judgment they may be more likely to take risks, pursue bold initiatives, and even achieve positive results.

Risk:

The “risk” however, is that this bias usually causes leaders to disregard the needs and perspective of others, creating negative consequences for team dynamics and organizational performance.

When leaders prioritize their own interests over those of their team or organization, they may make decisions that are not aligned with the goals of their stakeholders. Egocentric bias can result in leaders becoming insular and failing to consider alternative perspectives or feedback, which can limit their ability to lead effectively.


KNOW YOUR KNOTS - Learn to recognize when Egocentric Bias is taking the lead.

Ask yourself:

Do I often attribute team successes primarily to my efforts or involvement?

Do I have difficulty acknowledging or seeing others’ perspectives and contributions?

Do I frequently feel that my ideas and methods are superior to those of others?

Do I often feel that events or situations revolve around me?

Do I struggle to empathize with others or to see things from their perspective?


STRATEGIES to manage this bias: Pause – Perspective – Practice - Progress

Pause:
Reflect on whether you tend to see your role as central to the success of an initiative, potentially overlooking the contributions of others.

Consider whether you find it hard to appreciate or recognize the viewpoints and efforts of others, especially when they differ from your own.

Think about whether you tend to believe that your approach or ideas are better than those of your colleagues or team members.

Assess if you tend to view circumstances as being directly related to you, even when they may not be.

Reflect on your capacity for empathy and whether you find it challenging to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.


Perspective:
Conduct team meetings that require members to contribute to allow for a variety of perspectives.

Regularly ask for feedback about your leadership style and your decisions. Be open to constructive criticism and act on the feedback.

Include different team members in decision-making processes to ensure a variety of perspectives are considered.


Practice:
Practice humility. Remind yourself that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and that collaboration and teamwork often lead to the best outcomes.

In decision-making, reflect on how you may be overweighing and overvaluing personal experiences at the expense of information and data offered by team members.

Make it a point to recognize and appreciate the efforts and achievements of your team members, and more broadly, others across the organization.

Practice active listening. Focus on really hearing and understanding the viewpoints of others. Give full attention to others when they speak and hold your thoughts until they are finished expressing theirs.
Regularly reflect on your decisions and your decision process, and interactions to identify how egocentrism may influence the decisions you make and the actions you take.


Progress:
Develop your empathy level. Work on understanding and relating to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others. Empathy can help counteract egocentric tendencies.

Demonstrate through your actions that you value and consider the perspectives and contributions of others.

Actively engage in perspective-taking exercises where you focus on trying to see situations from the perspectives of others involved. Consider role-playing activities or team-building exercises.
Reducing the influence of egocentric bias leads to more effective leadership.