One thing we all have in common is that we are human. No surprises there. As humans, we naturally do certain things that are predictable. We have thought processes that are predictable. Wikipedia says that human nature is “a bundle of fundamental characteristics – including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting – which humans tend to have naturally.” An understanding of human nature is of particular value when writing or speaking. A good understanding of human nature makes it easier to identify as your audience and read your own presentation or sales pitch or proposal from their perspective.
If you understand human nature, what about human nature within organizations? Think of it this way, how would an individual from within a specific organization react to a set of circumstances or a presentation? Skills like this are particularly important in strategy, BD and Capture. Even proposal development benefits from a good understanding of the customer. It’s safe to assume that an understanding of human nature is beneficial across the board.
But what about our human nature tendencies that may not be so beneficial? This article will identify some of these tendencies that should be avoided for optimal business and intelligence success.
Judging a person by their Position
We all do it. We judge by what someone is wearing, how they act, what they say, and so on. We also judge by position. Here is how this could be very detrimental in a business sense. We all have a tendency to think of people as being in the same position and having the same capabilities as when we first met or knew them. I think of this as “First Known Syndrome.” You and I have grown in our own capabilities and skills, so chances are, other people have also grown. This is of particular importance to hiring managers who need to be fair in their assessments of internal as well as external candidates. It is fair to ask a question like, “I knew you when you had skills in X, Y and Z. What other skills have you picked up since then? What new capabilities do you bring to the table?” This will help you to see the candidate as they are now more than the person you knew in the past.
Something else to consider is that if we see a person in a specific position, we tend to think of that role as the sum total of their capabilities, even years later. This could just be because of how our brain works – we store the name of someone along with their position or capabilities and other known facts. However, just as we ourselves have grown and changed over the years, so has everyone else (usually!).
Failing to be Objective
I am an intuitive person. This helps me to recognize even obscure patterns quickly and thus take steps to improve strategy, business processes, or customer activities. You may be in an elevated or senior position today because of your ability to quickly identify and resolve root problems, process problems, etc. We are usually right, but that is not the same as always right. We must be objective enough to take in and consider outside input. I’ll give an example: PhDs or other extremely smart individuals can at times be difficult to work with. This is because they can be so used to taking their own counsel (since they are usually right!) that they could fail to listen or give credence to outside input. None of us are infallible, so we need to remain open to outside input.
Acting Too Quickly
This one could also be “Failing to consider all of the facts before acting” or even, “Jumping to Conclusions.” This is certainly a human nature tendency. Seek out all facts, even the other side of a story, before acting. Have you ever heard of or been a recipient of a decision described as a “Knee-jerk reaction?” Chances are, you have, and you either had to then live with a bad decision or someone had to lose face in walking back the decision that was made. This is even covered in Proverbs where it says, “The first one to plead his case seems right, until another comes along to cross-examine him.” I guess the tendency to decide or act too quickly has been going on for a very long time. Making a decision in haste can result in additional problems or a worse situation.
Give, Don’t Take
This one seems counterintuitive. Many of us spend our energy trying to amass wealth, get to the next higher or more responsible position, make VP, become the Director, get promoted, or whatever the case may be. Because of this drive, many are tempted to take credit rather than give it. Just looking at the surface of this, it would make more sense and would seem logical that you try to take as much as you can so that you are more likely to achieve your desired goals.
Somehow, and for some unknown reason, real life just does not work that way. In fact, the more you give, the more you will receive. Perhaps as individuals, we are like geological features in the natural world. The Dead Sea’s shores and surface are below sea level. As a result, all it does is receive, and so is stagnant with little or no life. Give credit, reward others, be kind, and build others up rather than elevate yourself. You may be surprised at the result.
Step Out of your Comfort Zone
It is human nature to remain where we are safe and where things are comfortable, where the unknown and potentially hostile is avoided. New opportunities can be overlooked and lost entirely if we are not able to explore them. From a business perspective, determine how much risk is acceptable and then act accordingly. Risk is always there; that is why we have tools to measure and manage risk. If you play it safe, you could miss out on interesting opportunities as well as business growth. As an individual, playing it safe and remaining in your comfort zone will mean that you do not grow, and that you could miss out on life – even happiness. As you allow controlled risk into your life, former risk areas become known areas and you can begin to operate with agility in a larger space.
We all regularly deal with human nature. It is best to understand it, because natural instincts – as well as learned responses – dictate how we react. Not only that, they affect how others think and act to circumstances and even information. Knowledge is power. Wisdom is the accurate and timely application of knowledge. Instinct and human nature can benefit as well as hold us back from optimal performance in our lives, in the business world, or even within the Intelligence Community. A better understanding of human nature can give an advantage over the competition. Knowing when to go against human nature can propel your life and career.
