Productivity Killers: Ontological Arrogance
by Fred Kofman
My client Marcelo often reminds me of my daughter Michelle when she was just 5 years old. At that age, Michelle refused to eat broccoli, claiming it was "yucky." Marcelo, on the other hand, refuses to discuss business issues with Gustavo, claiming he’s "an idiot".
Of course, Marcelo's behavior has significantly more serious consequences. He is the marketing manager for Latin America of a well-known multinational, and Gustavo is in charge of the company's most important line of products for the region. If Marcelo acts unilaterally, he will cause a disaster; not only will he create operative problems, but he will also jeopardize the relations between his function and Gustavo's division.
Michelle and Marcelo display symptoms of the productivity killer ontological arrogance – the belief that one’s personal experience defines reality.
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