A fictitious account of a common situation where an individual is aware of their internal dialogue and biases. Being conscious of this will prevent you from prematurely drawing one-sided conclusions. – Automatic translation using chatGPT-
My struggle with my internal dialogue
It was late June, and like every quarter, I began to review the team’s progress and indicators to assess the performance of each member and identify potential challenges or areas for improvement. Suddenly, I was struck by the numbers attributed to Ana, a talented young member who had recently joined the team. Although she had demonstrated promising skills in the short time she had been here, she hadn’t met her quarterly targets.
I delved into her colleagues’ numbers and the team’s history, hoping to identify a reason for Ana’s less-than-expected performance. My mind began to speculate about possible reasons for Ana’s underperformance. Could it be that she’s not committed to the team? Is she contemplating a position change? Truth be told, she hasn’t seemed as engaged lately, leaving the office quite early each evening—perhaps an issue of the necessary discipline required for success in this role.
However, before having that crucial conversation, I decided to take a step back and question my own perception. I recalled how Ana had approached previous projects with enthusiasm and creativity. I considered her positive contributions in meetings and her eagerness to learn and improve since joining the team.
I realized that I was letting my internal dialogue lead me to a one-sided evaluation, clearly rooted in personal biases formed from past experiences in previous jobs and with former “bosses.” Ana might have legitimate reasons for not meeting her targets, such as unexpected obstacles or limited resources. I wasn’t considering the full picture.
When I met with Ana, instead of walking into the room with those biases, I took a deep breath and started the conversation by asking about her well-being, how she was feeling, and after a series of ice-breaking questions, I proceeded to try to understand the challenges she had encountered in her role and what she needed to succeed. As we talked, I began to grasp that her numbers had nothing to do with her dedication, training, etc. It had nothing to do with the stream of ideas that had been swirling in my mind. Ana explained the true reason, and it was entirely different from what I had imagined—she had been dealing with a personal situation that ultimately impacted her professional performance.
That experience taught me a valuable lesson. I recognized how internal biases can cloud our judgment, even when we intend to be fair. I learned that it’s crucial to challenge those biases and give people the chance to explain their situation before jumping to hasty conclusions.
Conclusions
As a leader, self-awareness and the willingness to reconsider our assumptions can make a difference in how we handle evaluations and make informed decisions about our team’s performance.
Have you encountered a situation where you were aware of your internal dialogue? How did you act? Share your thoughts!
