I’m Predictably Irrational?
Prior to reading this book, I’ve rather smugly thought of myself as quite a rational fellow. Much to my surprise, this book identifies multiple, fascinatingly common situations that are relevant to my daily life to which I believed my responses were rational. Through the lens provided by the author however, my reactions to these situations have been almost unconscious and very much irrational. So the purpose of this paper is to highlight four learning points from the book relating to rational thinking and behavior that can help inform my life personally and professionally. The first learning point is based upon a chapter that describes the cost of social norms. Any prior consideration I’ve given to social norms …show more content…
The difference as I see it from the learning points in this chapter relate to the norms to which each employee adheres. As examples, one former employee, a retired Army NCO and now a GS-14, is content to accomplish the absolute bare minimum in accordance with his performance objectives. Conversely, another employee, never military, entered as an intern and has made his way up to GS-13; a high performer in a challenging career field always working above and beyond his performance objectives. The former views his employment as a job with a paycheck, and expressed to me that he gets paid the same for a “success” rating as he would for an “excellence” rating. Conversely, the young GS-13 sees his employer as a defense organization, and the element to which he is assigned as an elite unit; he is conscientious in his work and strives to develop himself further to ensure he doesn’t let his team mates down. As a result of this learning point, I am now more aware of the difference in attitudes between employees as illustrated by the GS-14, who associates his employment with market norms, while the GS-13 associates his employment with social norms. I believe I can increase organizational performance by establishing a vision and culture where social norms rather than market norms …show more content…
Since becoming divorced over twelve years ago, I have accumulated a trove of “toys” including a couple of old, not particularly valuable cars, a motorcycle, nice bicycles, and a couple of nice watches - all made possible by having a rather large garage and no one to answer to. With the prospect of remarriage approaching, I can relate to the notion of the fear of loss as I determine what is reasonable to carry forward into the marriage and what I may have to dispense with. Similarly, my siblings recently moved our parents into a very small assisted living facility. Observing the pain my parents experienced as they were forced to part with many of their beloved treasures has given me pause to more fully consider not only whether or not to acquire new things, but also to contemplate how and when I must dispose of them to avoid placing that burden upon my loved
Prior to reading this book, I’ve rather smugly thought of myself as quite a rational fellow. Much to my surprise, this book identifies multiple, fascinatingly common situations that are relevant to my daily life to which I believed my responses were rational. Through the lens provided by the author however, my reactions to these situations have been almost unconscious and very much irrational. So the purpose of this paper is to highlight four learning points from the book relating to rational thinking and behavior that can help inform my life personally and professionally. The first learning point is based upon a chapter that describes the cost of social norms. Any prior consideration I’ve given to social norms …show more content…
The difference as I see it from the learning points in this chapter relate to the norms to which each employee adheres. As examples, one former employee, a retired Army NCO and now a GS-14, is content to accomplish the absolute bare minimum in accordance with his performance objectives. Conversely, another employee, never military, entered as an intern and has made his way up to GS-13; a high performer in a challenging career field always working above and beyond his performance objectives. The former views his employment as a job with a paycheck, and expressed to me that he gets paid the same for a “success” rating as he would for an “excellence” rating. Conversely, the young GS-13 sees his employer as a defense organization, and the element to which he is assigned as an elite unit; he is conscientious in his work and strives to develop himself further to ensure he doesn’t let his team mates down. As a result of this learning point, I am now more aware of the difference in attitudes between employees as illustrated by the GS-14, who associates his employment with market norms, while the GS-13 associates his employment with social norms. I believe I can increase organizational performance by establishing a vision and culture where social norms rather than market norms …show more content…
Since becoming divorced over twelve years ago, I have accumulated a trove of “toys” including a couple of old, not particularly valuable cars, a motorcycle, nice bicycles, and a couple of nice watches - all made possible by having a rather large garage and no one to answer to. With the prospect of remarriage approaching, I can relate to the notion of the fear of loss as I determine what is reasonable to carry forward into the marriage and what I may have to dispense with. Similarly, my siblings recently moved our parents into a very small assisted living facility. Observing the pain my parents experienced as they were forced to part with many of their beloved treasures has given me pause to more fully consider not only whether or not to acquire new things, but also to contemplate how and when I must dispose of them to avoid placing that burden upon my loved