According to traditional thinking optimists are peak performers. People – I suspect mostly optimists – quote classic studies on insurance salesmen (carried out by Dr. Martin Seligman) which suggest that a positive outlook is predictive of higher performance.

More recent studies suggest that happiness is also “catching”. Optimists (presumably the ones who don’t use a handkerchief) are more likely to be surrounded by happy people. (So make sure you’re smiling in the profile photo on your Facebook page.)

So what’s to be done to “fix” the pessimists? A better question to ask is…

Do Pessimists Need To Change?

After conducting a series of studies at the University of New South Wales, psychology professor Joseph Forgas found that positive thinkers don’t have it all their own way. It turns out pessimists pay more attention to the world around them. For example, in one experiment, negative thinkers were more accurate eye witnesses after observing a staged mugging. (I can’t help but wonder, were the pessimists surprised that they weren’t the ones being mugged?)

Pessimists are also less likely to rely on mental shortcuts and so less gullible and less prone to errors of judgment. (Perhaps a pessimist’s outlook isn’t so cluttered with kittens and smiley faces.)

Meeting In The Middle

Positive thinking is neither good nor bad. It’s vital to be able to switch back-and-forth between extreme positive and negative points of view; a cognitive skill that’s crucial for decision making and problem solving.

Negative people begin by imagining all the things that can go wrong. And, while this can definitely be a total downer for anyone feeling pumped and ready to rock and roll, it’s nonetheless an essential analytical skill.

And while optimists may be prone to seeing the positive in a negative event, are they as naturally skilled at seeing the negative in a seemingly positive event? Unlikely. (The optimists are so focused on seeing the gold at the end of the rainbow, they generally forget an umbrella to keep off the rain.)

Still, luckily for them – and, let’s face it, optimists always feel lucky – their pessimistic colleagues can spot the pitfalls in a master plan before the project is even underway. Yep, “stinking thinking” has its benefits.

Whatever your initial point of view, it’s vital to look for disconfirming evidence. And for an optimist, what better place to seek an opposing point of view than asking the cranky guy down the hall? He can help you map out tactical responses to a range of problematic “what  if” scenarios. And, after recruiting his (or her) points of view, you’ll be in a far better position to take action in a thought out, mindful direction.

Bottom line: Embrace the pessimists, it might pump up your chances of success.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? When evaluating a project, what thinking skills do you bring to the table? Speak your mind in the box below…

The ping-pong ball story is short and simple yet has a vital, and often overlooked, message. You can hear all about Tom and the ping-pong ball by clicking the video below…

The story illustrates the raw power of a simple idea. We have a love/hate relationship with ‘simple’. Don’t have time for ‘complex’ and are, at the same time, disappointed with ‘simple’. The message behind my simple story is that ideas don’t have to be complex to be effective, any more than medicine has to taste bad to be potent.

With this in mind, my objective is to share simple strategies that I’ve found personally effective “under fire”. Quick and easy tactics that really work, even when I’m frustrated, angry or fearful.

So, back at Heathrow airport…

During a trip to the men’s room, I notice a dead housefly in the urinal. When (despite my best targeting efforts) it refuses to move, I realize it’s embossed into the porcelain. So I check out every urinal; somewhat upsetting for the man standing next to me. Sure enough, every one has an embossed fly.

Upon my return to the US, further investigation reveals that this trend began at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. In the words of economist Aad Kieboom, the guy who came up with the idea:

“If a man sees a fly, he aims at it.”

Which, I guess, is why you don’t want flies around a picnic hamper!

Kieboom’s research revealed that the simple presence of the embossed flies reduces spillage by 80% percent. An 80:20 ratio, demonstrating the raw power of a simple idea; and Pareto’s principle to boot!

Transplanting Ideas

This amusing finding also illustrates another crucial point: Sometimes a simple idea from one area of your life can be transplanted into another. For example, an effective approach to a problem at home (such as a young boy with poor aim) might be useful in a business context (keeping busy international airports cleaner).

In conclusion…

• What simple ideas have made the most difference in your personal, professional and organizational life?
• Are there any simple ideas from one area of your life that could be transplanted into another?
• Do you have a simple idea in the back of your mind that, even though it might be a stellar solution to a challenging problem, you’ve dismissed because it seems too simple?

I would love to hear your ideas; simple or not…

Speak your mind in the box below…

This wonderful optical illusion – sent to me by Perspective Power subscriber Robin Cervantes – demonstrates an important point. If the picture hadn’t rotated, would you have been satisfied with your initial point of view? Would it have occurred to you to look at the image from another angle?

In a similar way, when we’re trying to solve a challenging problem (or spot a golden opportunity) most of us are far too satisfied with our initial perspective. As a result we miss the unexpected signposts towards a better path.

It takes awareness, strategy and tactics to actively shift your viewpoint. This rotating image shows us why it’s necessary.

Thanks Robin

FYI: This (and many more optical illusions) can be found here: Optical Illusions

That said, here’s my compromise: A 3 minute video that will blow your mind and, at the same time, demonstrate something about yourself you don’t know.

The bald, bespectacled British bloke in the video isn’t me. His name is Professor Richard Wiseman and he’s Head of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. Richard’s carried out a ton of fascinating research, most notably into the phenomenon of luck.

Why am I showing you this clip? I promise you, three minutes from now, you’ll be in absolutely no doubt that, whenever you face a challenge, you need to ask the Perspective Power question “What am I missing?”

Remember the Expectation Error? You see what you expect to see; the unexpected remains invisible. (And that includes all the unexpected insights, opportunities and solutions you need for extraordinary success.)

So, next time you’re pondering a tough challenge, remember the “color changing card trick” and always ask: What am I missing?

What did you think of the clip? Feel free to speak your mind in the box below…

Happy Holidays,

Steve

Here’s another puzzle I came across recently which demonstrates a specific error we make when trying to solve a problem. (It’s adapted from the work of a computer scientist at the University of Toronto called Hector Levesque):

• John is staring at Jill, but Jill is staring at Jack.
• John is married, but Jack is not.

Question: Is a married person staring at an unmarried person? Multiple Choice Answer:

• A. No
• B. Yes.
• C. Can’t be solved with the limited information given.

Hint: Don’t get distracted by the cute duck picture. I added that because it was, well…cute!

When we have ten answers (or suggestions of how to proceed) in the “speak your mind” box below, I’ll tell you the solution. I’ll also explain the thinking behind it and what it reveals about one of the errors we make when we try to solve a problem.

Good luck!

To put this story in context: Right off, here’s something you should know…I’m an expert with a piece of rope…I’ll rephrase that! As a kid, I loved doing magic tricks with rope. Over the years I became really expert at tricky knots. In fact, somewhere I have a video of me (from about 15 years ago) doing a rope trick. If I can track it down I’ll update the post. The jokes are a bit cheesy, but you’d get the idea.

So, back to my recent sailing adventure and a crucial lesson about problem solving. The instructor asks me to tie down the boat to the dock…

Oops!

I grab the bow line (the rope attached to the front of the boat) super-confident that I can tie a cleat hitch. I know exactly what I’m doing. Past experience has taught me how a rope can twist, flipping the end in the wrong direction and complicating the knot. Honestly, I suspect I know more about rope than any student this sailing school has ever taught, blah, blah…

My full attention is focused on the knot, until I hear my wife cough sharply in a “Hey Steve” kind of a way. I glance up to see the back of the boat drifting sideways and about to crash into the yacht adjacent to ours.

Luckily (as you can see from the photo) the boat survived my incompetence. I’ve described this incident because it illustrates a broader issue.

When A Problem Needs Solving

In my story, what was the problem I needed to solve? To tie the boat safely and securely to the dock, right? In my attempt to solve the problem, I focused on one aspect of the situation, tying a secure knot. In fact, I focused on the part of the problem at which I’m an expert…and ignored everything else (at which I’m definitely not an expert).

Restating this observation in broader terms: I tried to solve a multifactorial problem (managing the momentum of the boat, the direction of the wind, avoiding adjacent boats, etc) by focusing on my area of expertise (tying a secure knot) and ignoring everything else.

Here’s the thing: When we try to solve a real-world problem, we have a bad habit of viewing it through the lens of our own expertise. (And, as a result, miss clues to other possible solutions along the way.)

Next Time You Have A Problem

It’s vital that, next time you face a significant problem, before seeking answers you reframe the problem itself from different points of view. And one way of reformulating a problem (and ensuring your point of view isn’t overly skewed by your areas of expertise) is to identify other people affected by it (or the solutions you might implement) and ask: How do you see this situation?

Have you had any experiences that illustrate this crucial point. I would love to hear about them…

A quick note to let you know that I’ll be posting the first of a series of articles on how to improve your decision-making later today.

Once you’ve read the article, return to this post and let me know what you think. (I’ll put a link to the “comments box” at the bottom of all the articles)…

Catch you later,

Steve

Yin And Yang

As I began researching these two fundamental misperceptions—the yin and yang of perceptual errors—I noticed that, in general, the stuff you miss cripples your thinking. Conversely, the stuff you make up fuels toxic emotions…

Currently, you miss more (far, far more) than you realize. You’re asleep at the wheel, victimized by unconscious delusions which narrow your outlook to the size of a shirt button.

And, as for the stuff you make up, think back to the last time you got really mad. What was it that caused you to get angry? News flash: Regardless of what person or situation you blame for tasering your raw nerves, you actually made yourself angry.

It’s vital you’re aware of your innate tendencies to miss stuff and make stuff up. And, also, the implications of having an incomplete and innacurate point of view.

Which is why I wrote this article: The Two Questions…

Let me know what you think,

Steve

Steve,

I really enjoy your email messages. I thought of you when I received this funny email. Enjoy!

Are you dumber than a pre-schooler? Which way is the bus below traveling? To the left or to the right?

Can’t make up your mind? Look carefully at the picture again.

Still don’t know? Pre-schoolers all over the United States were shown this picture asked the same question. 90% of the pre-schooler’s gave this answer. “The bus is traveling to the left.”

When asked, “Why do you think the bus is traveling to the left?” They answered: “Because you can’t see the door to get on the bus.”

So, are you dumber than a pre-schooler?

Tracey

Last weekend I bought two bikes to donate to needy kids in the Appalachian Mountains.  I took my son to Toys R Us to get the bikes. I decided to save the $20 and assemble the bikes myself instead of having it done at the store.

While assembling the first bike, I noticed how “idiot proof” the assembly of a commodity bicycle from Toys R Us is.  Everything is labeled. In particular, there’s a big red “R” on the right bicycle pedal for the right hand side, and a big “L” on the left.

The right pedal twisted on perfectly on the right side.  However, the threads on the left side refused to “take”.  I literally spent 10 minutes trying to twist the left pedal onto the crank of the bike.  I was so frustrated I stopped working on the pedal and finished the rest of the assembly, that way when I brought it back to Toys R Us as defective they’d give me one of their assembled bikes in exchange and I wouldn’t have to do it again.

During this time, my son was playing outside.  He had offered to help me about 17 times and I had him throw away packaging, kick down the kickstand, putting on the pads, etc. By the time I was putting the pedals on and struggling my son had moved on to other tasks since I was IN NO MOOD to talk much.

He came up to me and asked, “sure I can’t help?”…I paused for a moment, and decided, “what the heck”….I asked my son Connor to put the left pedal on.  I imagined he’d stay quite occupied and “out of my hair” while I started on the second bike.

The great thing about kids is they have less assumptions than we do.  It took Connor about 12 seconds to get the pedal on.  You see, when he couldn’t get the pedal to screw in by following, “righty tighty” (i.e., screwing clockwise), he simply tried the other direction, or “lefty loosey”. The pedal twisted in like butter.  The commodity bicycle makers go so far to ensure the pedals are on the correct side that they reversed the threads for the left pedal… amazing…

I’d like to think my Bedwell training of stepping back and taking a fresh perspective was the reason I asked my son to take a crack at it.  I know that part of me was just trying to get him out of my hair.  But the sheer joy on my 7 year olds face that he helped his Dad do something he couldn’t do was priceless and solidified my commitment to looking at things from a “counterintuitive” perspective.