Small change: stay humble

So much of what happens at work can be explained by the Dunning-Kruger effect. This is a cognitive bias in which those of us with limited competency in a particular field overestimate our abilities. The reason for the bias is simple: it protects us from the difficult emotions that would accompany acknowledging our shortcomings.

The brutal truth is that half of us, by dint of irrefutable logic, are below average at our jobs. And all of us, without exception, have limited competencies in some domains.

So the right response to Dunning-Kruger is not to point at others and laugh. It is to ask the question: “where might I be blind to my own inadequacies?”. Such humility can bring enlightenment — and with that, more effective leadership.

Something to consider: am I really performing as well as I think I am?

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