This week in MSLD 632, we have been diving into the topic on Framing Tools and we related specific tools that showed correlation to our organization's culture and decision-making processes. I have deepened my own understanding of how in our decision-making process, we can be limited to making decisions without having a specific toolset that allows us to analyze our problems from different perspectives. In this blog as well, our authors Shoemaker and Russo discussed the hazards associated with "frame blindness" and how to guard against it. I was challenged in finding three ways to avoid "framing traps" and to provide a detailed example of each from my own life experiences.
My understanding of frames, as they are discussed in the Wharton text, are a reflection of ourselves. These frames offer a window into both ourselves introspectively, but more importantly how we see the world and those around us. I liken frames to perceptions or filters of how we view the world around us – and often these can have been based on perceived assumptions that we validated through our unique experiences. When we get trapped in our frames, it’s like being trapped in a paradigm, with no way of getting around ourselves – in essence, we defeat our own abilities to see things differently.
Frame traps include frame blindness, the illusion of completeness, overconfidence, and frame conflict. Frame blindness means that we are unaware of our frames and how they affect how we see the world. Our internal filters can lead the next trap, the illusion of completeness. We have fooled ourselves because we only see what we want to see, that we have achieved or not achieved our goals. With limited awareness, we can become over confident in our view of the world. All of this results in poor performance and limited chances to improve ourselves (Shoemaker & Russo, 2001).
To avoid the traps that come with frames, leaders should consider the following:
Frame Audit:
See the frame by conducting a frame audit. It is important to see a frame to be able to change it. Ways of viewing your frames are to bring them to the surface. This requires quite a bit of self-reflection. It means breaking into frames, then breaking them down. Maxwell suggests a good “reality check,” to help understand the difference between what we wish or think is going on and what is in the real world. He provides a number of techniques to use when employing “realistic thinking.” These include minimizing downside risks, having a game plan, using it as a catalyst for change, understand how it can provide security, and know that it gives you credibility, finally it is a foundation upon which to build (Maxwell, 2003). Another piece of the frame audit is understanding the frames of others. Jen Shirkani explains this as “ignoring feedback you don’t like.” There isn’t much negative feedback and you make the assumption people are being honest with you. It includes not asking for feedback as well as rebuffing or ignoring the feedback when it is given. Finally, the secret thoughts that if people don’t like what you’re doing, “they can go get a job somewhere else” (Shirkani, 2014). Next, a way of avoiding this trap is to appreciate emerging frames. This means you know that the environment changes and as a leader can change with that environment (Shoemaker & Russo, 2001).
Identify and Change Inadequate Frames:
The second way to avoid frame traps is to identify and change inadequate frames. Like doing the frame audit, this requires the leader to look at all of those things in the frame audit and see what needs changing. These include asking is your frames are effective, finding where frames don’t fit, and recognizing and challenging key assumptions. The third tool is mastering techniques for reframing (Shoemaker & Russo, 2001).
What this causes us to do it really get outside of our box and consider new ways of looking at our frames. For example, single frames may be inadequate, so the use of multiple frames may open you to greater environments. Next is to find ways to align frames with the world around you. Aligning frames can reduce frame blindness. Other techniques include changing your metaphors, how you describe your frames, look at and challenge the viewpoints of others, as well as stretching or enlarging a frame, building new frames for new situations, and a show of empathy, speak to other people’s frames.
I have had plenty of chances to work on my frames. When I was growing up, my father and our family were stationed in Italy. We lived about 20 miles from the air base and so at times my brother Joel and I would get to spend time on the base, with our friends. We were also allowed to go to Bari or Brindisi (about 55 miles away) with our friends and their families from the base. At first, my parents were hesitant letting us meander with friends and their families, especially only being 12, and I remember my dad was against it. My parents fear like most parents were the worry of us disappearing or being kidnapped, but after we had lived there for awhile, my parents learned that these threats were just preconceived fears, as well as they, learned to trust other parents who shared their concerns - and would ensure our safety. My parents learned to change their ways of thinking. It turned out to be a great thing, and for my brother and I we developed the ability to be away from our parents for the first time, and my parents learned to trust other military families entrusted with our care.
What changed? My parents grew up with these fears seeing children kidnapped or worse while growing up, and this issue was compounded more being overseas in a foreign country. By learning to trust others with us, as well as my brother and I learning to be independent of my parents, My parents frame blindness was pretty severe - they had their own preconceived notions of what constituted safety and they were being pushed out of their comfort zone during these experiences. As an adult, I have come to understand their apprehensions were pretty reasonable. Come full circle as Tina and I are taking our kids to Italy, Greece, and Turkey over the Thanksgiving Break this year, and I find myself feeling the same apprehensions that my own parents faced, but I have my own understandings and experiences to ensure my two girls see Europe and its' unique cultural experiences, as well as learn to be independent through the process.
I also see how my kids are being raised around IPads, Iphones, Laptop Computers, and now my kids have challenged me to keep up with them with technological toys and software / apps that are enabling them to learn in ways that I didn't. I have learned to use email and texting as well as other communication mediums for staying in touch and abreast how they are doing in school, as well as how they are communicating with their friends. The paradigms have changed, and in some cases, I have been ahead of them when it came to the technological edge. I really think this helped me progress in my leadership skills as well, as I have kept myself ahead of the curve with being a Geek and understanding technology and computers. My girls are constantly challenging me to think of things in new ways (though I’d always been a bit of an outside of the box thinker). Just as I learned from my parents to experience other countries and I learned how to appreciate people and their unique cultures by viewing the world from a broader perspective.
Without knowing it, I too have seen all three parts of the frame avoidance, while expanding my own aperture, to where it remains open and adaptable to change - which is a valued skill that Tina and I work to instill in our two little girls by broadening their international experiences, learn new languages, and understand how they fit into the world around them. Also, my girls have helped change my styles and perspectives - as parenting girls is vastly different that parenting boys. I now am very much looking at things to see if my perspective is the right one, or if I have taken other people’s views in to account when making decisions concerning Tina and my girls.
It’s interesting how much our kids can teach us, especially when as we get older together, as a parent, Tina and I seem to get smarter every year, and we realize that maybe we did understand how our own frames and limitations needed a reboot or adaptation to grow. Funny how learning from my kids has also opened them up to a better relationship with Tina and I, and it is laying the foundation of trust and understanding that my own parents built with me. It really does crack me up sometimes.
REFERENCES:
Maxwell, J. C. (2003). How Successful People Think, Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life. New Yort, NY: Center Street.
Shirkani, J. (2014). How Top Leaders Beat 8 Ego Traps With Emotional Intelligence, EGO vs. EQ. Brookline, MA: Bibiliomotion.
Shoemaker, P. J., & Russo, J. E. (2001). Managing Frames to Make Better Decisions. In S. J. Hoch, H. C. Kunreuther, & R. E. Gunther, Wharton on Making Decisions (pp. 131 - 158). Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.
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