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There are many in business who believe that logical thinking always brings success. Well, I am skeptical of any claim that uses the word always. And in the case of logical thinking, I know that it can fail in leadership and human interaction. So when can logical thinking get you into trouble?

Logical Thinking: Not Always Appropriate? Image by Dan 4th Nicholas via Flickr Attribution license.

Image by Dan4th Nicholas via Flickr Attribution license.

Logical Thinking: When & Why Does It Fail?

Some people think logical thinking tops everything else. Not true! It is very valuable yet it doesn’t have a monopoly on success.

Logical thinking fails when it …

1. Keeps you trapped in your own frame of reference and experiences. This impacts what you see as logical. Yet, for people to work or live together, each must see the other’s perspectives.

2. Doesn’t keep up with changes in the world. As science discovers new truths and as people’s roles change, what you claim as logical needs to change too.

3. Assumes without validating the assumptions. For instance: Systems analysts who assume they know the customer’s business and design a system with only minimal contact with the customer. The tree swing story is a classic example of this.

And of course when it …

4. Excludes all emotion. When you believe that logical thinking is the antidote to the effects of emotion, you may exclude all emotion from your thinking. You may even act aloof to prevent emotion from surfacing in your interaction with others. Yet, emotional intelligence is critical to leading people, to teamwork, and to solving problems that affect people. The medical field is slowly realizing this as doctors try to increase patient adherence to the recommended treatment.

Summary

Logical thinking is inappropriate and fails when it is full of assumptions, excludes diverse perspectives, lacks key information, discounts emotion, and traps you in your own frame of reference. The solution: Develop your emotional intelligence, question and validate your assumptions, listen and learn other’s perspectives, and evolve your thinking to keep up with a changing world.

From my professional experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™

Related Posts:
23 Common People Skills Mistakes That Make People Leave You
A Simple Technique to Find & Burst Your Assumptions
Leadership Assumptions That Damage Tomorrow’s Success

©2024 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. I appreciate your sharing the link to this post on your social streams. However, if you want to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com for permission and guidelines. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™, delivers coaching, consulting, training, and keynotes on leading change, employee engagement, teamwork, and delivering the ultimate customer service. She turns interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. See this site for workshop outlines, keynote footage, and customer results.

Tags: analytic, assumptions, Career, discovery, diversity, dominance, emotional intelligence, hidden factors, interpersonal skills, Leadership Development, leading morale, listening, logic, logical, people skills, Personality Type, Soft Skills, thinking