The Irony of Unintended Consequences

SHOW NOTES:

On this show…we’re going to take a step back as we attempt to look at the bigger picture, find the irony, celebrate, the unexpected benefits, and learn from the unintended consequences. Oh hindsight, you’re a beautiful thing with horrible timing. And good intentions, well you’re just that. No judgment here. Our continued quest for self-discovery is about learning from our successes and failures. So many times we can’t see the forest through all the trees. We make reactive decisions trying to solve an immediate problem only to create a bigger and more far-reaching issue. So what’s the solution? Is there a cure for this infirmity? Oh boy, that would be Nobel prize worthy since unintended consequences have been happening since the beginning of man. My intention here is to use this topic to broaden our views beyond thinking of people in power attempting to create policy that helps instead of hurts. I want us to think about our own thought processes. How many angles do we consider? How many opposing opinions or ideas? Who all and what all do we consider before making a decision? 

I think we can all safely say we’ve had tunnel vision at one point or another in our lifetimes. Oh and mix in this idea that we know it all = lots of decisions without fully thinking it through. I mean, you only know what you know right? Unfortunately, you can only use that excuse for so long. At some point, you have to want to know more, about yourself, the world around you, and what your impact is and can be.

So to avoid unintended consequences, we’re going to look at this top from a number of angles; what is it, our protection bubble, good and bad, causes, reasons, and motivations, why it’s important to embrace opposing views, and how to increase our critical thinking – sound fun? 

Over at the Fraiser Institue if found our jumping-off point:  Unintended

Consequences – How Regulation Influences Behaviour by Christopher J. Coyne

Great Moments in Unintended Consequences – Vol 5

Great Moments in Unintended Consequences  – Vol 6

Great Moments in Unintended Consequences – Vol 7

Roger Dean Duncan gives us some inspiration with ‘Escape The Bubble’ And Learn From Opposing Views found at forbes.com

Mark Goulston and John Ullmen – How to Really Understand Someone Else’s Point of View found at the Harvard Business Review.

Joe B Carnevale asks: Are You Open to Opposing Viewpoints? 3 Tips for Improving Critical Thinking. Found at entrepreneur.com

CHALLENGE: test your solution from every angle to see how others might be impacted. Embrace the positive and learn from the negative to course correct any unintended circumstances. 

I Know YOU Can Do It!