Focus

Using Different Ways of Seeing the World to Achieve Success and Impact

Authors: Heidi Grant Halvorson, E. Tory Higgins

Weekly meetings at Columbia University’s Motivation Science Center have always been both enjoyable and educational, and not just because of our research topic. After all, the reason people do what they do is far more interesting to ponder than, say, advancements in actuarial accounting. Our underground meeting room is crammed with chairs surrounding a long table often covered with papers, drinks, and snacks. Our whiteboards are filled with poorly drawn graphs and diagrams (some of which we’ve been talking about for months). Each week, a brave soul presents their work to the rest of the group to answer tough questions and receive feedback… sometimes complimentary, sometimes critical, and often humorous. While each of us at the Center has our own quirks — our particular speaking habits (long-winded rambling) and clothing (which we don't particularly overthink) — when it comes to how we operate, we fall very clearly into two general camps (as it happens, most people in every workplace, classroom, or community on the planet belong to one of these two camps). The difference between these two camps can best be illustrated by introducing you to two of our most delightful (and assertive) colleagues, whose names we have changed to protect the innocent (ourselves): Jon and Ray. Jon is the kind of person some might describe as “difficult,” although he would probably prefer (and so would we) to be called “skeptical.” Getting to the end of a sentence in Jon’s presence without him interrupting you to tell you how its beginning was entirely wrong is a challenge. He is meticulously organized in his appearance, chooses his words carefully, and never procrastinates. He is naturally pessimistic (the defensive kind we will describe later); try telling him that everything will be fine and watch as he becomes visibly uncomfortable with your recklessness and naive outlook. By this point, Jon probably sounds like he might be a little annoying to work with, and we can’t deny that he can be at times. But once you get to know him, it's easy to see why he operates the way he does; he is determined not to make mistakes. In fact, just the thought of making a mistake bothers him. (Did we mention he’s usually at least a little anxious? He is.) As a result, his work is typically impeccable; arguments are clearly articulated and meticulously supported by previous research, and statistics are perfectly executed to an extent that would make an actuarial accountant smile in admiration. When he critiques our work, he does so with the sincere intention of helping us make it flawless. His input isn’t always easy to hear, but it’s always better to hear it.