{"id":77550,"date":"2024-01-10T15:14:45","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T20:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpsleadership.com\/?p=77550"},"modified":"2024-01-10T22:27:11","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T03:27:11","slug":"the-danger-of-believing-what-you-can-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpsleadership.com\/index.php\/2024\/01\/10\/the-danger-of-believing-what-you-can-do\/","title":{"rendered":"The Danger of Asking “Can I?” Before “Should I?”"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Art of Discerning What You Should Do Before Deciding What You Can<\/h2>\n

(a lesson in courage<\/i>)<\/p>\n

By Phil Liebman<\/p>\n

A well-intentioned family member passionately preached to me that the mind is powerful and amazing. \u201cWith preparation and the right attitude, you can do practically anything and achieve things you never thought possible.\u201d This is true enough. Your beliefs establish the boundaries of your comfort zone and the constraints on your imagination. Some beliefs may stifle you, and modifying them or installing new beliefs about what is necessary and possible may elevate your potential beyond what you might even imagine. In most cases, the challenge isn\u2019t in what you can or cannot do but in what you should or should not. Effectively leading your life – or others\u2019 lives requires understanding that distinction and recognizing that you must ask, \u201cShould I (or we)?\u201d before determining if you can.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Deciding what you can do is simple but may misguide your judgment. Observing what others can do, you might assume you should, too. My mother would say, \u201cIf your friends jumped off the Washington Bridge, does that mean you should follow them?\u201d Just because others do something doesn\u2019t mean you should. Examining why<\/i> you might or might not do something will better serve you. That informs better judgment. Going with the crowd is easier than forging your own way. It may feel safe, but often isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Groupthink is risky. It is the opposite of critical thinking. Going with the flow\u201d might find you in the throes of a mob. Some people breached the US Capital on January 6th, 2020, and later expressed regret, wondering, \u201cWhat was I thinking?\u201d If you\u2019ve ever been stopped for speeding and argued you were just keeping with the traffic flow, you most likely still received a traffic ticket.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The influence of groupthink and confirmation bias do not require proximity to the source. Broadcasters, journalists, and authors can tremendously influence people\u2019s beliefs. The Russian Government used social media to divide and stir patriotic emotions in the lead-up to the 2016 United States presidential election. Most people are more easily gulled than we imagine. Even those not particularly gullible struggle to find the courage to stand up to the beliefs that inform the status quo. But that is precisely what good leaders must do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Knowing what you need to know but do not is essential. Leaders often don\u2019t have all the information required at the moment to make critical decisions. Courage alone will not solve this; you also need discernment. You must determine what you don\u2019t need to know as well as what you do. Not all information is useful, and it might be misleading. That is why leaders must avoid groupthink and ensure it doesn\u2019t infect their organizations. An effectively shared purpose and vision is a function of challenging groupthink. Leadership is a function of how well you think and your ability to cause those you serve to elevate the level of their critical thinking as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>