Blinded by a Perfect Vision

Sometimes we know exactly where we are headed, what we need to do and precisely why something is the way it is. This is when we are suffering from a syndrome, I call – Blinded by a Perfect Vision. We think we know everything, and in the process end up ignoring minor yet important details. The confidence that we are right, stops us from seeking suggestions and responding positively to feedback. It is like carrying a glass which is already full, hence there is no space to receive more. 

I once had a manager who thought he had all the answers. Initially I was impressed, more like awed by his confidence. I wished someday I was like him, so confident and sure about myself. Over time I realized, his confidence lead him to ignore sensitive areas on projects. He was so sure, things will work the way he had planned, that he never considered to plan for the situation where they wouldn’t. In Management terms this is called Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA). In my terms I just call it ‘Blindness’.

It is good to be confident, but it is better to be confident and open to suggestions and reasoning. Perhaps, if we find a bigger glass which has a little space for doubts, questions and feedback, we will be much better prepared and a lot less blind.