First things first; what is discerning?
The online Merriam Webster dictionary defines this term as being “able to see and understand people, things, or situations clearly and intelligently” or “showing insight and understanding”.
Although we all like to think of ourselves as being very objective and capable of evaluating and analysing situations around us, the reality is slightly different. Most of us operate with a bias and that tends to influence our interpretation and evaluation of any situation. This is dangerous, especially when it comes to managerial decision-making.
Veiled in bias
Unfortunately, the current trend of using social media extensively and being dependent on the same for information is not helpful. This is because the posts you see on your news feed is usually selected on the basis of your past preferences, using an algorithm. Therefore, a person will see those posts which are in line with their thoughts and opinions, and may not be objective.
Similarly, an online search is influenced by the cookies stored on your device, throwing up information based on your browsing behaviour. The media reports that one reads is also always objective either. Even if a particular report is written neutrally, the selection of that report itself is a decision that might be based on a bias.
A simple experiment would be to go through the news feed of two people, who have opposing views, say on a political personality. Compare the articles and posts that appear on their social media and you will see the clear difference in terms of the content that their news feed throws up.
This selective information flow only reinforces our bias and we start becoming opinionated, believing that many people around think along the same lines.
Managerial situation
Extend the same logic to a managerial situation.
Suppose you had to decide on a promotion and you have two equally good, potential candidates. One person is working in the same office as you are and ensures that you know of his/her achievements and strengths. The other person works in a remote location and needless to say, similar opportunities do not exist for that person.
Now, if you were to decide on the promotion based on the information you are exposed to, the chances of you choosing the first person is very high.
The same issue might crop up in various other scenarios. If a person is easily influenced and lacks objectivity, his/her views and decisions will always be suspect and lack credibility. This is definitely not the imagery anyone should have, especially in a professional sphere and if they are aspiring to become leaders.
How to becomediscerning
Let us first answer the question, why you should become discerning. The most important reason anyone should become discerning is that it is one of the core attributes of a great leader.
This is expressed very well in a quote by Colin Powell, an American statesman who had been a successful and respected four-star General. He said, “The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”
The unsaid part of this quote is that the lack of confidence or a feeling that the leader does not care is largely influenced by the discerning nature of the leader. If a leader takes the trouble to get to the root of any situation and find out all the facts of a case, then confidence in the leader’s judgment is high — their decisions are respected because they are fair and just.
Can it be developed?
The second question is whether a person can develop a discerning nature. Is it something that has to come naturally, or can it be inculcated?
The answer is there should be a natural, inherent orientation towards being objective, which can be further developed and honed through practice.
So the first step towards developing this leadership trait is to objectively conduct a self-examination. Think back to various situations, and examine your instinctive responses to any situation, including your reactions to posts on social media, and your response to comments by others around you. If you find that you tend to follow a pattern of believing anything because it has been stated by a particular individual or entity, then there is an obvious lack of discerning evaluation.
Accepting that you might not be discerning is the first step major step and the most difficult one. Once the realisation has been internalised, the next step would be to consciously develop such an orientation.
The practical way to do this would be to evaluate the source, dissecting every piece of information independently. Every news item, comment, information or input should be questioned positively, and crosschecked and validated. This should be a conscious process in your mind, and if it is practiced consistently, it will help you develop a discerning nature.
The flip side
The flip side to this is mistrusting everybody or everything. That is equally dangerous.
The fine line between being discerning and being mistrustful can be managed if you retain your trust in the source. Truly believe in the person or source of information, but be be aware that they might be biased in their outlook.
It is a fine balance worth working on, if you aspire to become a leader.