BOOK A WEEK 3: “Why We Make Mistakes”

Everyone makes mistakes. In his book, Why We Make Mistakes, Joseph T Hallinan examines how and why we make mistakes in the first place.

What I took from the book was less about mistake-making and more about widening perspective. Individuals have a very narrow view of the world. Bombarded by information, we’re forced to take shortcuts.

“The eye is not a camera. It does not take “pictures” of events. And it does not see everything at once. The part of the visual field that can be seen clearly at any given time is only a fraction of the total. At normal viewing distances, for instance, the area of clear vision is about the size of a quarter. The eye deals with this constraint by constantly darting about, moving and stopping roughly three times a second.”

While this passage is about visual understanding, I would argue that it also a useful tool to understand how we sometimes limit or compartmentalize our experiences.

For example, consider the following perspectives as they relate to invigorating the economy. This is just one example of a larger difficultly I have with transferring experiences. I get so excited about one project that it becomes the answer.

• When I was working on Exporting for the Food Export Association, I thought that exporting was the KEY to economic vitality.
• When I was working on talent development for Spotlight Michigan or my continuing work at Capital Area Michigan Works!, talent development turned into the silver bullet.
• When working on franchising at my current job, my view has once again shifted to saying that small business is really the crucial factor.

In broader consideration, these things are all important. But, as Joseph T Hallinan says, “the part of the visual field that can be seen clearly at any given time is only a fraction of the total.”

I have a tendency to first, compartmentalize experiences and second, to view my current work as the answer to a wider problem (not just part of the answer). Reading Why We Make Mistakes reminded me of the importance of carrying skills, experiences, and mostly perspective from one job to the next adventure. I need to remember to draw on past experiences and widen my perspective with each new experience or change. Otherwise it’s not growth, it’s just change.

Speaking of change, the next book is Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.