March, 2018

Sometimes we need to react fast, automatically.  For example, as we see a large truck speeding towards us as we are standing in the edge of the street waiting for a traffic light to change.  Or, as we observe the subtle cues of a very dissatisfied client.  And, at a different time, we may find […]

Steven Westlund is the author of today’s Tuesday Reading.  He is the Director of Enterprise Applications Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.  His essay first appeared as a leadership program reflection earlier this year.  [Steve may be reached at [email protected].]   A few weekends ago, my wife and I watched Alexandra Dean’s documentary, Bombshell: the Hedy Lamarr […]

… When Hiring Staff Last week’s Tuesday Reading focused on cognitive biases, forces that can influence an “individual’s personal construction of his or her social reality.” This personal construction and not the objective input received from your senses may dictate your behavior in the social world.  As a result, cognitive biases may sometimes lead to perceptual […]

In a recent survey 125 alumni from across MOR’s leadership development programs were asked to identify areas of their ongoing development that they had a good handle on and also areas they need to focus on improving.  Alumni were first asked how invested are they currently in their ongoing development: 78% were very invested 21% […]

… “If you have a brain, you’re biased.”1    The Cambridge English Dictionary defines bias as a “personal opinion that influences your judgment.”  We all have such personal opinions.   Cognitive biases2, 3 are systematic deviations from the norm as individuals create their own “subjective social reality” based on their perception of the information they are receiving from […]