5 Causes of Dysfunctional Thinking

By Linda Sasser

We all have good intentions, but sometimes it's our good intentions that prevent us from speaking up, educating others, debating, or making the best decision.

Here are five challenges that can lead to an environment of dysfunctional thinking.

1. Catering to Whims

When we cater to whims, we miss opportunities to educate, lead up, or proceed with a plan or strategy. If your leader seems to be leaning toward a whim, ask them what the objective is and how it fits into the big picture. Brainstorm with them on how you can help them learn or accomplish what they want without getting distracted by everything shiny.

2. Moodiness

Yes, we all have bad days, but when every day is an emotional roller coaster, our teammates spend more time figuring out how to side step our moods or avoid upsetting us rather than focusing on doing their best work. I've learned the best solution to a bad mood is to focus less on my needs and focus more on being grateful and serving others.

3. Resistance to Change

When we resist change, we're worried more about our own comfort than about what's best for the future of our team and organization. We don't have to love change, but we do have to be willing to consider new ways of doing things. Evolving in business isn't a novelty; it's a necessity for long-term survival.

4. Fear of Failure

This is one area where leaders can make a huge impact! Make "learning from mistakes" part of your organization's culture. When employees fear failure, they don't choose the best option. They choose the safest one. How do you react when one of your employees drops the ball or makes a mistake? Help them see how they can avoid the same mistake again by teaching them how they learn from it.

5. Group Think

The best decision is usually the result of input from several teammates, but only if those teammates are all thinking independently. When we discourage creativity or individual opinions, we end up settling for the path of least resistance. Every opinion or idea won't be right, but you can strive to create an environment where every opinion and idea has value.

About the author: Linda Sasser is the CEO of Impacting Leaders, a firm focused on helping companies with their leadership development and organizational effectiveness needs. Linda has over 25 years' experience in developing businesses, leading teams, and directing sales programs, which include stewarding the John Maxwell corporate leadership development brand; leading efforts to achieve $2 billion in sales while serving as the vice president of sales and marketing at Express Employment Professionals; and owning and operating five Express Employment Professionals staffing franchises. Connect with Linda and Impacting Leaders on their website at www.impactingleaders.com, on Linda's leadership blog at www.leadershipwithsass.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/ILHappyHour or on Twitter at twitter.com/impactingleadrs.