Why talking to yourself is a bad idea

My family would tell you that, while hiking, I often like to “bushwhack”. I find that leaving the prescribed trail in pursuit of an adventure or more direct route offers an opportunity to see things I would otherwise miss, or view familiar sites from a different perspective. I also find it an invigorating challenge to test my orienteering skills.

However, I would be the first to caution that bushwhacking without third party data to confirm my instincts is a bad idea – unless sleeping unprepared in the woods is your idea of a good plan! My family will also attest to my obsession with consulting maps, tree moss and other plant-related clues, observing the position of the sun, and combining all this information to come up with an informed plan to get us where we want to go.

The point here is that listening only to your instincts and the ideas of your peers doesn’t provide the complete perspective necessary for a fully informed plan (and can leave you–proverbially or literally—in the wrong place). Even highly competent, experienced leaders can forget to seek confirmation that their plan is sound. That mistake may only become evident once it’s too late to change course gracefully.

The effect of limited input is worst in closely aligned, small group settings. Of course, there’s a term for that–groupthink.

Many political leaders, company executives, and public affairs professionals get caught looking exclusively within their organization or industry group–to their peers and subordinates–for confirmation. It can be quite a trap; describing a feeling of isolation, President Truman famously referred to the White House as the “great white jail”*. Planning inside a bubble can produce flawed results; most people are biased to seek and offer positive confirmation to trusted allies, which greatly limits our ability to gain real insight and critical review of a given situation.

As a result, seeking confirmation from likeminded or similarly vested individuals and organizations won’t provide a solid assessment of the situation. For that, it’s important to seek the counsel of people beyond your peer group. From a sociological perspective, similar people, with similar backgrounds and socio-economic experiences, are likely to view the world in similar ways. The best planning comes from viewing the situation from every angle and that requires perspective.

Don’t fear the challenge that comes from sharing your ideas with a third party who knows your issue or industry, but who may not always share your experiences or viewpoint. Obviously, you want to choose these sharing partners carefully. You are looking for individuals and organizations who will provide you with honest and constructive feedback. Doing so can help to refine an idea, improve the messaging, and potentially gain an ally.

Better to get that feedback while you are developing a plan than to have an adversary destroy your plan once it’s been launched. With good insight, you can see where you are going and see how others view your path to ensure that your plans and actions produce the desired result. So, stop talking to yourself and start sharing with people outside your typical “bubble”.

Remember, for success in public affairs, it is essential to see tomorrow, so you can act today.

* http://www.trumanlibrary.org/diary/transcript.htm