Primacy Effect
The metaphor of a sports game is commonly leveraged in management theory.
The classic question is, “Are you on the field or watching from the stands?”
It is a useful reference point to help a leader consider from where they are generating a perspective and making decisions.
The insight is that critiquing the game from a distance represents a displacement of personal ownership in performance.
There is a third, less-often considered location.
“Are you in the concession line discussing how well the game is going according to the plan?”
This third location is the most common pitfall of leadership teams.
You know the game plan and how the first period went but are on the concourse discussing how great things are going.
This is a bias known as the primacy effect.
The primacy effect is the attention and weight your mind will put towards initial information you encounter.
This information will have a disproportionate influence on your future perspectives and decision-making.
It creates a faux-confidence that enables you to assume your understanding of the game from 10 minutes ago is just as accurate while waiting in line for a hot dog.
The primacy effect is not going to disappear.
You can, however, build in mechanisms to bring fresh perspectives and analysis along the way to challenge it.
The only requirement is that your leadership team is willing to listen to perspectives that challenge your unconscious certainty.
March Mocha Madness,
- Morning Cup