We all want to believe our decisions are rational.
But your brain is wired for shortcuts.
They’re called cognitive biases.
They’re meant to help you move fast.
But they don’t always lead you in the right direction.
And in leadership, that can cost you.
10 thinking traps to watch out for:
1. Overconfidence Bias
You think you know more than you do.
And act before validating.
2. Confirmation Bias
You seek out data that agrees with your view.
And ignore the rest.
3. Groupthink
You go with the team’s consensus.
Even when it doesn’t feel right.
4. Authority Bias
You trust “experts” without questioning
their logic or evidence.
5. Anchoring Bias
You let the first number or idea
influence the rest of the negotiation.
6. Availability Bias
You overreact to what’s most vivid.
Not what’s most important.
7. Recency Bias
You put too much weight on the latest event.
And miss the bigger picture.
8. Status Quo Bias
You stick with what's familiar.
Even if it's no longer working.
9. Sunk Cost Fallacy
You keep investing in a losing path.
Because you’ve already sunk so much into it.
10. Survivorship Bias
You study only the winners.
And miss the lessons from those who failed.
These biases don’t make you a bad leader.
They make you human.
But awareness gives you leverage.
When you catch them in action,
you give yourself a chance to:
Pause
Reframe
And lead smarter
Here’s a simple question to ask before every big decision:
“What might I be missing?”
It’s not always about making perfect choices.
It’s about building the habit of clearer thinking.
Your best decisions start with better thinking.
And better thinking starts with seeing your blind spots.
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