ConceptsNest

  The term the “curse of knowledge” was coined in a 1989 paper by researchers Colin Camerer, George Loewenstein, and Martin Weber. This phenomenon is sometimes also conceptualized as  epistemic egocentrism , though some theoretical distinctions may be drawn between these concepts. The  curse of knowledge  is a cognitive bias that causes people to fail to properly understand the perspective of those who do not have as much information as them . For example, the curse of knowledge can mean that an expert in some field might struggle to teach beginners, because the expert intuitively assumes that things that are obvious to them are also obvious to the beginners, even though that’s not the case. Because the curse of knowledge can cause issues in various areas of life, such as when it comes to communicating with others, it’s important to understand it. The Curse Of Knowledge: Common Occurrences & Influences This can make it harder for experts to teach beginners (also known as th

Self-differentiation is a word we probably do not hear in everyday usage. But it is a crucial process to living (and eating) well. It is happening when we hear people speaking their minds with thoughtful conviction even though others might disapprove . It is lacking when someone spends their life rebelling against the views and values of parents/ colleagues and clinging to their opposite. It is missing when someone stifles feelings and thoughts in fear of hurting others or being rejected or shamed by them.     Differentiation of self was defined by Murray Bowen (Psychiatrist, Professor- Georgetown University) in 1978 as the degree to which one is able to balance: (a) emotional and intellectual functioning, and  (b) intimacy and autonomy in relationships . His theory has two major parts. 1) Differentiation of self is the ability to separate feelings and thoughts . Undifferentiated people cannot separate feelings and thoughts; when asked to think, they are flooded with feelings, a

  Being present with oneself, in the moment, being mindful, mentalizing, reflective function— all of these constructs point toward a crucial recognition of one’s own experience that takes place repeatedly on short time scales , as much as it is an overarching way of seeing that spans a lifetime. Practicing curiosity fosters open-mindedness. There is a firm but gentle way to be intently aware, where one almost sees oneself as a beloved stranger. Being a stranger to oneself can represent alienation and nihilism, but it can also be the beginning of a love affair as we meet ourselves anew. Closeness to oneself, however, can pose a variety of real and imagined threats. It is important to respect our own boundaries, self-consent to all major decisions, and equip ourselves well. Self-Absorption vs. Self-Reflection In the journey of self-discovery and personal growth, two seemingly similar yet fundamentally different concepts often arise: self-absorption and self-reflection. While both

Negotiation is an inherent part of influencing someone . In a work environment, it can be external negotiations, with a supplier or a client; or internal, with a boss, colleague or subordinate. But we must also negotiate with ourselves , be aware of instinctive reactions (psychological and physical) , in order to regulate them and respond consciously and appropriately to the circumstances so that we get the best result. All negotiations comprise two dimensions: The “substance,” meaning the subject matter or objective of the negotiation, and the “relationship,” i.e., the interaction or connection with the other person . We negotiate because we are looking to gain something or because the relationship with the other party is important. These two dimensions are always in play and under tension because the things we do to improve the substance—such as not making concessions—damage the relationship to a certain degree. Conversely, when we try to grow the relationship, decisions like be

“ I need to figure out how to motivate my employees.”  When was the last time we thought that to ourselves? It could have been the other week when you noticed one of your direct reports dragging his feet on a project that’s critical to the company. Or, perhaps it was the other month when you felt frustrated that your team was not being proactive about addressing customer issues. We hear this sentiment of “how to motivate employees” frequently from managers we work with. We, as leaders, are not the only ones thinking this. Employees  themselves  admit that they do not feel as motivated at work as they would like. According to research, only 2 in 10 employees strongly agree that their performance is managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work.   However, this question of, “How to motivate my employees as a manager?” is a misguided one. It implies that motivation is something we  give  another person. That is patently false. Motivation is not a thing we give to peopl