In the labyrinth of decision-making, there are four archetypal errors that can lead even the most well-intentioned managers astray. Each error is a pitfall, a misstep that can sabotage the best-laid plans.
Let me explain:
1. Vision Error: Focusing on the Wrong Target
Imagine you're setting up a dazzling, money don’t matter tonight' employer branding website to polish your image as the ultimate internship haven. Yet, the mentorship in your company is so abysmal that interns leave faster than a Tesla P100D launching away from a traffic light in Ludicrous mode.
This, dear reader, is 'vision error'. And it’s akin to painting a burning house.
All effort, no effect.
2. Correlation Error: Misreading the Interplay of Forces
Next, we have the 'correlation error', where you misinterpret how various forces interact around your problem. Picture this: you’re investing heavily in training your mentors, but your company’s culture treats learning as a pesky afterthought for ‘nerdy’ types without a social life. It’s like trying to drive a car without gas or electricity.
3. Innovation Error: Stagnation in Idea Development
The 'innovation error' ensnares those who either fumble in developing new ideas or shun innovation altogether. Consider the older mentor who scoffs a new idea with a blunt, "Done it this way for years, why bother changing now?" Or the company so mired in its outdated recruitment processes that it takes aeons to respond, if it responds at all. Take that company that really wants to build this new process but needs a year of 5 hour meetings to conclude that they need another meeting.
4. Action Error: The Paralysis of Decision-Making
Finally, there’s the 'action error', where decisions falter on the precipice of inaction. Think of a company that shuns interns because it’s “too busy”. Or Kodak, the poster child of missed opportunities, inventing the digital camera only to keep hawking film rolls to consumers. Their decision was a tragic display of inertia – "Digital? It'll never catch on!" – leading to a downfall of Hollywood sized proportions.
Enter Iatrogenesis: The unseen arch-nemesis of good intentions..
Reading about these errors, I stumbled upon the term 'Iatrogenesis', which jolted me awake like a double shot of espresso. IATRO-WHAT NOW? It turns out, ‘Iatrogenesis’ is just a fancy way of describing a well-intentioned solution that backfires spectacularly. Borrowed from the medical realm – 'iatro' meaning 'physician' and 'genesis' meaning 'creation' – it highlights how good intentions can morph into monstrous outcomes.
The anatomy of Iatrogenesis
Such blunders arise from a toxic cocktail of shortsightedness, impatience, lack of data, and indecision. Take the 2008 financial crisis, for example, when mass layoffs in construction led to severe labor shortages down the line we are still feeling today. the job market screams for construction workers, no-one wants to work there anymore.
The intent was survival; the consequence, a long-term industry hobble.
Applying this to internships
In the internship arena, iatrogenic errors occur when you bring in interns but sideline their needs in favor of everyday tasks. Or when your focus on the company’s glamorous image overshadows the dull but crucial information interns crave. The decision seems sound at first glance, but the fallout – damaged reputation and dwindling intern applications – is anything but.
How to Dodge the Iatrogenic Bullet
To sidestep iatrogenesis, you must understand your audience’s needs, prioritize their values, and grasp the intricacies of your organization. Armed with this insight, you can strike at the heart of the real issues and implement solutions that truly resolve them. In doing so, you avoid the dreaded iatrogenic fallout and steer your decisions toward genuine, sustainable improvement instead of the cliffs of Sheakspearian plottwitst that make you mumble “My kingdom for an intern” in no-time.
So, avoid them!
Hey Maarten, this is an awesome post! I didn’t know there were names to these types of errors. I’ve had correlations errors a lot in my writing business where I think my audience wants 1 thing and it turns out they want something completely different lol. A question I have is: What, in your opinion is the best solution to correct correlation errors? Your newsletter is awesome by the way! Just subscribed! :)