What is your first reaction to the picture? And have you had a second or even a third reaction too?

It is interesting that we make a quick initial judgement about some things. But other things leave us with no thought at all. Often that quick initial judgement can and does change – all different emotions start to surface, or we spot something we had not properly seen before.  

I had a wave of thoughts about this little fellow (well there is an assumption that I think it is small – fellow for me is gender neutral). A first thought, a second and many more. If I continue to look at the picture all sorts of new thoughts emerge. I have gone away and come back to look at the picture a few days later and new thoughts surface, perhaps a story has started to form. Then I notice something else, or a question surfaces.

One of the elements we discuss as part of an Insights Discovery journey is perception. Our perception being our reality from which we make judgement and may take action.

The following quotation if from Stephen Covey (albeit it has been attributed in various other forms to other people):

“We see the world, not as it is, but as we are──or, as we are conditioned to see it.”

Crucially how quick are you to take action or make the judgement from the first reaction to something or someone?

And when building a team we may initially dismiss someone because we have made a judgement that they are not right. This may be true - it may also be horribly wrong. The difference that they may bring could be the difference between a successful team and a failing team. Yes, the person may challenge, see the world from a different place, spot things we had not seen, add something of significane no one else had remotely considered. Helped us grown and change our bias.

So who is to say what is right - every person in the team like blocks in a wall, fitting together beautifully each the same shape and size. Or would the more random shaped make a better choice?

Wildlife differ in size, type, colour  - some swim, fly, hop. All make the world a more interesting place.

No matter what I think of this fellow, every dog does have its day and this one certainly brightened mine.

Perhaps we can help make your day, so do get in touch.

Peter