Overcoming Functional Fixedness

 

Train yourself and your team in overcoming functional fixedness. 

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used. For example, if someone needs a paperweight, but they only have a hammer, they may not see how the hammer can be used as a paperweight. Functional fixedness is this inability to see a hammer's use as anything other than for pounding nails; the person couldn't think to use the hammer in a way other than in its conventional function.

This phenomenon was first described by Gestalt psychologist Karl Duncker in 1935. In a classic experiment, Duncker gave participants a candle, some tacks, and a box of matches and asked them to attach the candle to the wall so that it would burn without dripping wax on the floor. The solution involved using the box as a platform for the candle. However, many participants failed to see this solution because they were fixated on the box's traditional function as a container.

Functional fixedness can hinder problem-solving and creativity, as it prevents people from seeing novel or unconventional uses for objects. 

However, there are ways to overcome functional fixedness. One approach is to try to think about the object's physical properties rather than its intended function. For example, instead of thinking about a brick as a building material, you could think about its weight, shape, and texture. This can help you see new possibilities for its use.

Another way to overcome functional fixedness is to expose yourself to new and different ideas. This can be done by reading, traveling, or talking to people from different backgrounds. By expanding your knowledge and experiences, you can break free from your preconceived notions about objects and their uses.

Functional fixedness is a common cognitive bias, but it is not insurmountable. By understanding the phenomenon and employing strategies to overcome it, you can become a more creative and effective problem-solver.

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

KHLittle603@gmail.com

kenlittle-nh.com

Five Steps to Improve Your Morale

 Five  steps to improve personal morale

We all get demoralized now and then.  It can be a real struggle. 

He are five things you can do to keep yourself moving in a constructive direction or to get your self unstick. 

1. Set achievable goals. Breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones can make you feel more accomplished and motivated.

 2. Focus on your strengths. Identifying and using your strengths can boost your confidence and make you feel more positive about yourself.

 3. Practice self-care. Taking care of your physical and mental health through exercise, healthy eating, and relaxation can improve your overall mood and outlook.

 4. Surround yourself with positive people. Spending time with supportive and encouraging people can help you feel more optimistic and motivated.

 5. Celebrate your successes. Acknowledging and rewarding yourself for your accomplishments, no matter how small, can boost your morale and encourage you to keep going.

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

KHLittle603@gmail.com

kenlittle-nh.com

Cognitive Distortions: Silent Ninjas of Disruption.

Which cognitive distortions do you do? I used one in my previous post. I didn’t see it when I was thinking and typing. I saw it when I went back to the post later.  Oooops. 

Cognitive distortions just sort of slip into our thinking process, like little ninjas, insidiously disrupting the clarity and accuracy of our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. 

Cognitive distortions impact our perceptions and decision-making. 

Cognitive distortions are common thought patterns that can lead to negative emotions, behaviors, outcomes. 

Here are some common cognitive distortions: 

1. All-or-Nothing Thinking (Black-and-White Thinking): Seeing situations as either completely positive or negative, with no gray areas. 

2. Overgeneralization: Drawing broad conclusions based on one or a few isolated events. 

3. Mental Filtering: Focusing only on negative information while ignoring positive aspects. 

4. Discounting the Positive: Minimizing or dismissing positive experiences. 

5. Magnification and Minimization: Exaggerating the importance of negative events or minimizing the significance of positive ones. 

6. Personalization: Taking responsibility for events that are not within one's control or blaming oneself for things that others did. 

7. Catastrophizing: Assuming the worst possible outcome in every situation. 

8. Jumping to Conclusions: Making assumptions about others' thoughts or intentions without sufficient evidence. 

9. Emotional Reasoning: Using emotions as the basis for making decisions or forming beliefs. 

10. Should and Must Statements: Imposing rigid rules and expectations on oneself or others, leading to guilt and anxiety. 

11. Labeling: Assigning negative labels to oneself or others, such as "loser" or "failure."

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

KHLittle603@gmail.com

kenlittle-nh.com

In Case of Emergency, Break Glass.

 

Is Our Intuition Trustworthy 

We all have a negativity bias that causes us to notice and process negative information more than positive information. As a result we tend to over-emphasize risk / danger when there is none present. 

This isn’t a bad thing, but it is important to be aware of. We may make some bad decisions in situations that really matter if we fly by intuition alone.  

Intuition is the combination of our subconscious interacting with our current perceptions and tilted by our negativity bias - a stew of inaccuracies.

Confirmation bias provides the “proof” that our intuitions are accurate by recalling the very few times when we didn’t listen to our gut and got burned, but confirmation bias ignores the vast number of times in which we ignored our intuitions and everything worked out really well. 

A very few super talented people can use intuition effectively because their intuition is absolutely packed with a shit ton of evidence, knowledge, and experience. In other words they are absolute experts in their field. 

The rest of us are just making shit up and shooting inaccurately from the hip, yet because of all of our biases, cognitive distortions, thinking errors, faulty heuristics, limited intelligence and limited knowledge, our tendencies toward self-deception, etc., we have no idea that we are wrong. 

It’s all a fascinating process and life-problem. 

If your gut starts telling you something is off, unless there is imminent danger, holster your intuition, pause before making decisions, check the accuracy of your perceptions (almost guaranteed to be inaccurate), check your subconscious input (not easy), and gather more factual evidence.

In case of emergency, break glass and go with your gut. 

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

KHLittle603@gmail.com

kenlittle-nh.com

Marching Bands & Silent Ninjas

Marching Bands & Silent Ninjas

In politics:

Our personal and political biases make us vulnerable to the misinformation / disinformation / propaganda / ideas / beliefs that fit into our world view. It slips in unnoticed and unchallenged. This impacts our political decision-making, even when the information, ideas, beliefs are bad*. 

We are predisposed to dismiss and reject information of all kinds, ideas, and beliefs from an alternative perspective, even if they are good ideas.

In fact, you may be predisposed to accept or reject the ideas I am presenting here without much consideration.

At work: 

The same thing happens.  

We are predisposed to easily accept - without question - ideas and information that are congruent with our professional perspectives, even when they are bad. And, we are predisposed to reject ideas that conflict with our perspective, even when they are good. 

This is why it is important to override our natural predispositions, inclinations, tendencies, beliefs with evidence-based reasoning.  Our decision-making will improve.

* We tend to believe that only the other perspectives have misinformation / disinformation / propaganda / bad beliefs and ideas because we notice them so much more easily. They are like little marching bands making noise and waving red flags. Our own side also has all of the above, but we tend to not notice them. They slip in like silent ninjas unobserved. In fact, we believe they are factually true.

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

KHLittle603@gmail.com

kenlittle-nh.com

Keyword Search Terms

 The key word search terms for quality improvement will vary depending on the specific context and industry. However, some general terms that are commonly used include:

 * General terms: quality improvement, continuous improvement, process improvement, performance improvement, quality management, total quality management (TQM), lean, six sigma, kaizen, PDCA (plan-do-check-act), DMAIC (define-measure-analyze-improve-control)

 * Industry-specific terms: These will vary depending on the industry. For example, in healthcare, some common terms include patient safety, clinical quality, healthcare quality, and value-based care. In manufacturing, some common terms include quality control, statistical process control, and root cause analysis.

 * Emerging trends: Some newer terms that are becoming increasingly popular include agile quality, quality 4.0, and AI in quality.

In addition to these general terms, it is also important to consider the specific needs of your organization or project when choosing keywords. For example, if you are looking for information on a specific quality improvement methodology, such as lean or six sigma, you should include those terms in your search. You should also consider the level of detail you are looking for. For example, if you are looking for an overview of quality improvement, you might use the term "quality improvement basics." However, if you are looking for more specific information, such as how to implement a quality improvement project, you might use a more specific term, such as "quality improvement implementation."

Here are some additional tips for choosing keywords:

 * Use a variety of keywords, including general terms, industry-specific terms, and emerging trends.

 * Consider the specific needs of your organization or project.

 * Use long-tail keywords, which are more specific and less competitive than short-tail keywords.

 * Use keyword research tools to identify relevant keywords.

By following these tips, you can choose the right keywords to help you find the information you need on quality improvement.

Building a Professional Brand

 Building a professional brand is about defining yourself and your skills in a way that makes you stand out and be remembered. Here's a breakdown of how to do it:

1. Know Yourself

 * Identify your strengths: What are you good at? What skills have you developed?

 * Values and priorities: What's important to you in your career? What do you stand for?

 * What makes you unique?:  What experiences or qualities set you apart?

2. Define Your Brand Message

 * Value Proposition:  What specific benefits do you offer? How do you help others?

 * Target Audience: Who are you trying to reach? (e.g., potential employers, clients, collaborators)

 * Craft a concise statement:  Summarize who you are and what you offer in a memorable way.

3. Build Your Online Presence

 * Professional headshot: Use a high-quality photo that reflects your brand.

 * Consistent profiles: Keep your message and visuals aligned across platforms like LinkedIn, your website, and social media.

 * Showcase your expertise: Share articles, videos, or projects that demonstrate your knowledge and skills.

4. Network and Engage

 * Share your message:  Talk about your brand in person and online.

 * Build relationships: Connect with people in your field and engage in relevant communities.

 * Be authentic: Let your personality shine through while remaining professional.

5. Be Consistent and Patient

 * Stay true to your brand: Make sure your actions and communications align with your message.

 * Building a brand takes time: Be patient and persistent in your efforts.

Important Note: Your brand should reflect your authentic self. It's about highlighting your strengths and unique qualities in a professional and consistent way.