False Memories Generate Persuasive Truths
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Over ii years ago, the folks over at the athenahealth kindly invited me to submit columns to their Health Leadership Forum, in addition to I own got done thence on an occasional footing since them. As I late reviewed the columns, I realized that my ain thoughts on the topics of leadership in addition to coaching own got evolved a bit, in addition to I idea my readers over hither at Not Running A Hospital mightiness savor witnessing the transition. So for several days, I volition hold upwards reprinting the posts from the Forum over here. Comments are welcome at the master site in addition to here. Today's reprint, amongst an added footnote in addition to embedded links, is from a shipping service dated Feb 5, 2015, "False Memories Generate Persuasive Truths."
There has been much written lately most the style of people to develop imitation memories most events they own got witnessed or experienced. I’m non talking most folks who intentionally mislead themselves or others most a given serial of actions or events—perhaps, say, to alleviate guilt or horror. I’m talking most people who truly, deeply believe that they saw something occur as they immediately recollect it. Their brains are incapable of agreement that their views of the events are flawed.
This phenomenon mightiness hold upwards i of the highest forms of cognitive errors, in addition to it raises serious questions for those of us inwards leadership roles who similar to be, inwards Donald Schön’s words, reflective practitioners. Don’s concept was elegant. Over the years, nosotros develop a framework based on our experiences in addition to observations that guides our actions in addition to choices today.
A reflective practitioner is i who plant inside that framework simply who is constantly testing it based on novel information. As nosotros larn from recent events, nosotros reconfigure our the world take in in addition to adjust our leadership methods to our newly revised conception. We in addition to thence endeavor to persuade people inwards our organizations in addition to those exterior that the path we’ve chosen is i they should join.
But if our memories mightiness hold upwards flawed, how practise nosotros know that the lessons nosotros describe from them are probable to hold upwards accurate, much less helpful? Should nosotros seek to laid inwards a method of self-correction to handle us compensate for our cognitive weaknesses? After all, our organizations in addition to our people are counting on us to hold upwards analytical, thoughtful, in addition to precise. If the memories are flawed, won’t our conclusions too be?
We could respond this past times maxim to ourselves, “Hey, I practise the best I can. If I immature adult woman something of import because I didn’t realize that I was mis-remembering, I’ll brand mid-course corrections later. Meanwhile, I’ll introduce the facts in addition to figures in addition to my impeccable logic, in addition to the powerfulness of that logic volition crusade people to follow my lead.”
That’s non a bad answer, simply at that spot is a ameliorate one. I late had a require chances to attend a marvelous literature festival inwards Jaipur, India.
Many of the best authors inwards the the world presented there, in addition to i session was called “The Art of the Memoir.” Among the panelists were Anchee Min (born inwards PRC in addition to immediately inwards the U.S.); South Africa’s Mark Gevisser; the U.K.’s Brigid Keenan; in addition to Joanna Rakoff from the U.S.
All of these authors had written memoirs, i.e., books most a portion of their ain lives. The conversation turned to the interrogation of how to assure that a memoir was accurate. It chop-chop became clear that narrative was to a greater extent than of import than accuracy. Rakoff position it this way: “A memoir is non what happened. It’s what I wrote most what happened.” She did non hateful that she was intentionally clouding the factual history surrounding events. She meant that she had to brand feel of what had happened in addition to hold upwards able to transcribe it inwards a agency that was useful, compelling, in addition to entertaining for herself in addition to her readers. In short, she had to hold upwards persuasive.
Gevisser went farther along these lines: “The retention entirely happened i time I found the linguistic communication for it.” Keenan suggested that finding the linguistic communication is an iterative process. Even for individual who has trained herself to popular off along daily notes, “The transformation of a mag to memoir takes most 8 drafts.”
What possible lesson tin nosotros describe from these authors? To me, they displayed an credence of the likelihood of cognitive errors inwards their remembrance of events. Indeed, they considered the being of a gap betwixt retention in addition to fact to hold upwards an asset. Instead of saying, “Hey, I practise the best I can,” they endorse in addition to cherish the being of the gap. Their focus is on creating a narrative that tin learn a lesson or motivate readers.
There is a leadership parallel here. The cracking leaders are those who offering a persuasive narrative to their potential followers. The likelihood of edifice a coalition inwards back upwards of a given administration is straight proportional to the powerfulness of that narrative. How is that narrative most probable to hold upwards persuasive?
My friend in addition to colleague James Sebenius, at Harvard Business School, late reminded me of of import lessons related to persuasion. Centuries ago, Aristotle suggested that at that spot are iii aspects of persuasion—logos, ethos, in addition to pathos. The style of many leaders today is to rely on logos (logic, reason, in addition to evidence) to motivate their followers.
Facts sure as shooting own got their place, simply the other parts of Aristotle’s equation are as powerful. Both pathos (connecting emotionally) in addition to ethos (establishing your skillful character) are best transmitted past times stories. Vivid in addition to specific linguistic communication complement logic in addition to evidence. Stories that reverberate the story-teller’s principles in addition to vulnerability likewise add together persuasive appeal.
The authors inwards Jaipur were, inwards essence, telling us to channel Aristotle. Understand that your memories are probable to hold upwards flawed, simply confidently utilization the memories yous have. Take the fourth dimension to describe from them elements of a persuasive appeal. As the political organizer Marshall Ganz (and the ancient Jewish philosopher Hillel) would own got position it: First part the even out of your self. Next, describe connections amongst your listeners in addition to handle them sympathise that your even out is most “us,” the scheme in addition to its purpose. Finally, practise a feel of urgency in addition to communicate that this a even out most “now,” amongst an imperative for activity today.*
In this manner, imitation memories volition generate persuasive truths.
--
* “If I am non for myself, who volition hold upwards for me? If I am entirely for myself, what am I? And if non now, when?” (Pirkei Avot Chapter 1:14)
There has been much written lately most the style of people to develop imitation memories most events they own got witnessed or experienced. I’m non talking most folks who intentionally mislead themselves or others most a given serial of actions or events—perhaps, say, to alleviate guilt or horror. I’m talking most people who truly, deeply believe that they saw something occur as they immediately recollect it. Their brains are incapable of agreement that their views of the events are flawed.
A reflective practitioner is i who plant inside that framework simply who is constantly testing it based on novel information. As nosotros larn from recent events, nosotros reconfigure our the world take in in addition to adjust our leadership methods to our newly revised conception. We in addition to thence endeavor to persuade people inwards our organizations in addition to those exterior that the path we’ve chosen is i they should join.
But if our memories mightiness hold upwards flawed, how practise nosotros know that the lessons nosotros describe from them are probable to hold upwards accurate, much less helpful? Should nosotros seek to laid inwards a method of self-correction to handle us compensate for our cognitive weaknesses? After all, our organizations in addition to our people are counting on us to hold upwards analytical, thoughtful, in addition to precise. If the memories are flawed, won’t our conclusions too be?
We could respond this past times maxim to ourselves, “Hey, I practise the best I can. If I immature adult woman something of import because I didn’t realize that I was mis-remembering, I’ll brand mid-course corrections later. Meanwhile, I’ll introduce the facts in addition to figures in addition to my impeccable logic, in addition to the powerfulness of that logic volition crusade people to follow my lead.”
That’s non a bad answer, simply at that spot is a ameliorate one. I late had a require chances to attend a marvelous literature festival inwards Jaipur, India.
Many of the best authors inwards the the world presented there, in addition to i session was called “The Art of the Memoir.” Among the panelists were Anchee Min (born inwards PRC in addition to immediately inwards the U.S.); South Africa’s Mark Gevisser; the U.K.’s Brigid Keenan; in addition to Joanna Rakoff from the U.S.
All of these authors had written memoirs, i.e., books most a portion of their ain lives. The conversation turned to the interrogation of how to assure that a memoir was accurate. It chop-chop became clear that narrative was to a greater extent than of import than accuracy. Rakoff position it this way: “A memoir is non what happened. It’s what I wrote most what happened.” She did non hateful that she was intentionally clouding the factual history surrounding events. She meant that she had to brand feel of what had happened in addition to hold upwards able to transcribe it inwards a agency that was useful, compelling, in addition to entertaining for herself in addition to her readers. In short, she had to hold upwards persuasive.
Gevisser went farther along these lines: “The retention entirely happened i time I found the linguistic communication for it.” Keenan suggested that finding the linguistic communication is an iterative process. Even for individual who has trained herself to popular off along daily notes, “The transformation of a mag to memoir takes most 8 drafts.”
What possible lesson tin nosotros describe from these authors? To me, they displayed an credence of the likelihood of cognitive errors inwards their remembrance of events. Indeed, they considered the being of a gap betwixt retention in addition to fact to hold upwards an asset. Instead of saying, “Hey, I practise the best I can,” they endorse in addition to cherish the being of the gap. Their focus is on creating a narrative that tin learn a lesson or motivate readers.
There is a leadership parallel here. The cracking leaders are those who offering a persuasive narrative to their potential followers. The likelihood of edifice a coalition inwards back upwards of a given administration is straight proportional to the powerfulness of that narrative. How is that narrative most probable to hold upwards persuasive?
Facts sure as shooting own got their place, simply the other parts of Aristotle’s equation are as powerful. Both pathos (connecting emotionally) in addition to ethos (establishing your skillful character) are best transmitted past times stories. Vivid in addition to specific linguistic communication complement logic in addition to evidence. Stories that reverberate the story-teller’s principles in addition to vulnerability likewise add together persuasive appeal.
The authors inwards Jaipur were, inwards essence, telling us to channel Aristotle. Understand that your memories are probable to hold upwards flawed, simply confidently utilization the memories yous have. Take the fourth dimension to describe from them elements of a persuasive appeal. As the political organizer Marshall Ganz (and the ancient Jewish philosopher Hillel) would own got position it: First part the even out of your self. Next, describe connections amongst your listeners in addition to handle them sympathise that your even out is most “us,” the scheme in addition to its purpose. Finally, practise a feel of urgency in addition to communicate that this a even out most “now,” amongst an imperative for activity today.*
In this manner, imitation memories volition generate persuasive truths.
--
* “If I am non for myself, who volition hold upwards for me? If I am entirely for myself, what am I? And if non now, when?” (Pirkei Avot Chapter 1:14)