Critical Thinking: Do you need to change your default settings? I’m in a business where I tend to meet a lot of people. Typically, I’ll set up a call with my new colleague and schedule a time and place to meet for coffee or lunch. Think about it… what is the first neutral meeting place that comes to mind? Starbucks right? What about when you are on a road trip with the kiddies, what restaurant comes to mind when you need to stop for a meal? Ah yes… the golden arches. One more example, I have an iPhone 4s but I like the Samsung Note. Like most, I don’t want to go through the pain of changing my habits that have formed from using Apple products. I will end up buying the iPhone simply because it’s the least path of resistance. Until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change, most people won’t change. In the US, there are 11,000 Starbucks, 14,000 McDonald’s and iPhones are as common as traffic signs. To say the least these brands are ubiquitous and they contribute to our default settings.
When we are dealing with new a computer or electronic device the default setting is the standard or factory setting that is programmed within the device. Likewise, our default settings are etched in our subconscious minds. Experts say we automatically build a series of wide mental pathways in our brain that lead us to making decisions based on the least path of resistance.
The “default” setting is:
- Easy – Critical thinking is not required, you do it by habit
- Automatic – Other options may trigger thought (most people don’t like to think)
- Fast – Saves time and energy
Our default settings serve us well for things such as breathing, walking and driving from work to home. Our brains use up to 20% of our daily energy intake. Therefore it may not make sense to use critical thinking skills about switching from Apple to Samsung. However, as a leader, would you want to use the default settings when you need to:
- Select a new strategic partner
- Outsource a service
- Train your right hand person
- Select a college/major
- Buy a house
- Relocate for a new opportunity
What happens when you allow the default settings to bleed over when you need to “think out of the box?” How do you stir the creative juices of the team instead of defaulting to “this is how we do it?
“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanks for sharing this insight, Rod. Nice article.