Did you know that airline pilots are told not to memorize pre-flight checklists? This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s because it’s important for them to be fully conscious of the “multitude of variables involved in each and every take off and landing,” as a pilot friend of mine tells it. This premise is no different than managing people and organizations. It is only by becoming aware—or conscious—of the variables inherent in that list that the mind can select the right behaviors for a given situation, rather than subconsciously glean from a nominally pertinent checklist.
Here’s the premise: Behaviors (at least what we can observe) are driven by how one sees the world, one’s perceptions, one’s frame of reference, one’s perspective and deep seated beliefs. Thinking in these terms raises the question, do people consciously choose their behavior or are behaviors chosen subconsciously? In other terms, do people have the capability to think before they act—the ability to “come-conscious”—as they choose a behavior, or are they operating on auto-pilot, from their subconscious; their nature—a memorized checklist, as it were?
Certain research strongly suggests that the subconscious can be trained and re-trained so that effective behavior flows naturally in a given situation. This takes significant effort, time and commitment, though, just as becoming a pilot takes many hours of training so that in a given situation, the pilot will not only be conscious of his choices, but able to act with the appropriate behavior. How can we apply this model to other things—to business?
Hold up a mirror. Are you getting the outcomes in life, in your relationships, and at work that you want? If you are, keep doing what you are doing. If you’re not, it’s time to reevaluate your own “checklist” and become aware of the multitude of variables in your own line of work. It’s time to choose a behavior that will lead you to a different outcome.
How do you begin? Here is a five-step process to get you started:
1. Stay open—Be aware of the outcomes you are getting in the first place. Being aware is a key part of the process.
2. Admit—Or be honest with yourself. Now that you’re aware of the outcomes, you have to honestly evaluate them. Are they what you want? Are they mediocre? Painful?
3. Reflect and Understand—How your beliefs or perceptions could have possibly shaped your outcomes. Understand how a different mindset could potentially alter these outcomes.
4. Alter your perception—Now that you understand how changing your outlook might alter your outcome, it’s time to alter that perception and move toward progress by changing your behavior.
5. Celebrate—If you alter your perception and attain a different outcome, congratulations are in order. The fact that you are getting a different outcome is a celebration.
Keep in mind that this is not an easy process, as perceptions and behaviors are hardwired—hence the thousands of hours pilots train. It is difficult to become conscious, that is, to consciously choose to think about something differently so that you can alter its outcome. Step number four is the key: Your perception must be altered; you must learn a new way of seeing things; employ new approaches.
Invest in exploring how you see things. Continue your education, visit distant lands, and talk to people of different worldviews and experiences. New understanding might just allow for you to choose a new behavior that will lead to a different outcome—an altogether conscious choice. Enjoy the adventure.