“This is a great idea” –  How often have you heard someone say this about an idea, or you thought it yourself? Probably fairly often. It’s well-intentioned when we say it to someone because it seems to encourage creativity and innovation.

Here’s some bad news: like the phrase “Yeah, but,” the phrase “this is a great idea” is an innovation killer. It’s an even bigger innovation killer.

I’m not kidding here. The reason is that the fastest way to failure is to be in love with your idea. (I previously wrote an article where I experienced a sobering lesson about this).

The reason is called “confirmation bias.” Our brain filters and selects information that confirms our beliefs. We’re much better at perceiving and noticing things that fit into our belief system than those that oppose it.

Confirmation bias drives much of our lives: the way we view politics, how we make purchasing decisions, how we raise our kids, and how we relate with others.

The same confirmation bias exists in innovation and leadership, and also tech organizations are not immune to it.

Loving ideas creates confirmation bias. It sets up a pattern of perception and even test strategies that tend to confirm the idea instead of disproving it. And voila, we have created a recipe for disaster.

Confirmation Bias Leads us in the Wrong Direction

When we have an idea, who do we go to first? Do we share it with someone who we expect will say something positive, or do we go to the person who’s usually critical? Do we think that new ideas need to be protected and nurtured at first so that they don’t get killed too fast, or do we expose them to all the harsh facts of reality?

The founder of Intuit, Steve Cook, summed it up nicely:

For each of our failures, we had spreadsheets that looked awesome.

This quote is insightful and accurate. Have you ever seen this: seemingly solid proof that a bad idea is actually a good one? No doubt, we can always create an impressive statistic, find some anecdotal facts to support our case, and we can think of some reasoning that portrays justifies pretty much any bad idea. We’re all at risk of doing this – and it sets us up for high (and stupid) risks.

Don’t get me wrong: being energized and passionate about ideas is not a bad thing. However, we need to be aware of its side effects. Being overly vested can make us blind and lead us onto a dangerous path.

What’s the antidote to this?

The first and most important step is awareness. Know that confirmation bias is real, and notice when you start to love an idea.
Secondly, we have to get better at killing ideas. As in the story with the emperor who wore no clothes, we have to get better at calling the emperor naked. We have to get better at being questioning without being destructive.

Many tech organizations have “red teams.” They have the purpose of challenging ideas or points of view with the goals of improving something.

Even though it’s an established phrase, I don’t like the term “devil’s advocate.” It suggests malevolence. The purpose of a “red team” is ultimately to improve and make something better, and not to tear it down. But you get the picture: you need to find a way to be critical to become better.

Take the next step

 

When you have an idea, make yourself aware of your bias. Then find a person who’s not a friend of the idea (or of you). Talk to them, get their reaction, and see how your idea holds up.

Both at work and in your life, find people who are your unofficial “red team” – people who have opposing styles, views, and beliefs from you. Being with people from your red team can be tough because you’ll need to let go of your ego and your desire to be right. As you learn to do this, they will be one of your best guides to making better decisions and improving your leadership.