Shoemaker and Russo
discuss the hazards associated with "frame blindness" and how to
guard against it. Discuss three ways you can avoid "framing traps"
and provide a detailed example of each from your life experience. Could you
have framed each situation differently? What did the exercise teach you about
complex decision-making? What additional tools or "frames" would've
helped you through the process? How much "risk" do you feel was in
your recommendation? What did you learn about yourself through this exercise?
Frame blindness exists when we are
unaware of our very own frames. Unfortunately, many of us look at the conflicts
we face in one way instead of looking at it from a variety of ways. Most of the
time, this mistake is unintentional and in making this mistake many people
operate form outdated frames. In order to assist with the correction of this
issue we need to concentrate in looking into what causes frame blindness and
the steps we can take in order to correct the conflicts we are continuing to
create amongst ourselves.
The first way to
assist with managing frames and avoiding the traps that frames provide us is to
see the frame by conducting a frame audit. In order to audit a frame we need to
first surface the frames, understand the frames of others, and appreciate
emerging frames. One example where I had to conduct a frame audit was when my
manager had hired a new employee in which I did not agree with his choice. The
new hire was rude, condescending and lazy. I could not understand for the life
of me what my boss had seen in him and why he would ever hire such an
individual. My frame audit consisted of trying to open my eyes to see what my
boss may have liked in this individual. While I disliked the guy, many people seemed
to think he was charismatic. I watched him over the next few months and while
he was lazy, he was very much like a car salesman. He knew exactly what to say
to others to make them feel good and bring them on board with things. I
instantly knew how he made it through the interview process. It was clear he
was good at talking his way through things.
I tried to
understand how my bosses frame of mind in bringing this person onto our team and
decided to put myself in his shoes. The new hire was personable and friendly
and while he was rude and condescending to me, he did not appear to be that way
with students. In actuality he was able to bring students on board, get them
excited about their degrees and have them submit an application. It was clear
that this individuals issues were not with our customers, however he had a
difficult time being placed in a team environment and taking direction from
others. Once I understood why he was hired, I began to appreciate my manager’s
ability to look past the discrepancies of his personality that I clearly saw.
My manager’s frame of mind was able to detect traits that I was unable to at
first and while I did not agree with his choice, I could not help but respect it.
The second way to
avoid framing is to identify and change inadequate frames. To do this we must
check and see if our frames are effective, observe the symptoms of frame
misfit, question our reference points, and recognize your key assumptions. There
have been many times where I have had to identify my own frame of mind and
change them; however my example revolves around a current co worker of mine. My
coworker is a great friend however due to her motherly nature she has on
occasion made me feel as though she is talking to a child. While she is a few
years older than me our personal and professional lives are similar in nature,
providing us a pretty level playing field, however due to our four year age difference
she tends to act as though she knows more than I do. While I try not to take
this to heart it is sometimes difficult as in my opinion it does not matter how
old you are to have many life experience.
One day my friend
asked if there was anything I ever wanted to tell her I could. I decided to speak
up or forever hold my peace. “I feel as though you speak to me like I am a
child and sometimes in a condescending manner.”The words had come out and I
instantly wondered why I had said anything. “Really?”my friend answered? “Yes”
I said. “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry” my friend replied. She proceeded to tell me
that she was only trying to help me with some of the issues I had been having
as she had experienced them herself and wished she had someone to talk to when
she was going through them. She figured since she did not have anyone at the
time, she almost felt a duty to help me as best as she could. She didn’t want
me to make the same mistakes she did and wanted to see me happy in the choices
that I made and therefore laid her opinions and suggestion on the table pretty
thick. Her assumption was if she didn’t help me that she would not be a good
friend and that was why she might have come across that way. Interestingly
enough, my friend thanked me for telling her. She said she was able to look
into herself and be more aware of the way she was coming across. In this
scenario my friend was able to check and see if her frames had been effective,
observe the symptoms of frame misfit, question her reference points and
recognize her assumptions.
The final way to
avoid framing traps is to master techniques for reframing. To accomplish this
we must use multiple frames, look for ways to align frames, change metaphors to
regain control of a frame, challenge others reference points, sketch a frame,
build new frames for new situations and speak to other frames. A great example
of this is therapy. My friend and her husband are currently seeking marriage
counseling, while they have a good marriage they thought they could make it
better if they were able to better communicate with one another. Their counselor
discussed each of their frame of mind and how each individual sent and received
messages. The biggest thing they learned through counseling is that each
individual has a different language of love. What is important to one may not
be significant to another and how one may show affection may not be the same as
how another may show it.
My friend and her
husband learned that each of them have different opinions and viewpoints and
they each needed to find a way to merge their frame of mind so they could
better understand and communicate with one another. They learned that in order
to achieve better communication they needed to change the way they thought by
looking at their spouse’s frame of mind without judgment or fear and challenge
each other with respect. They also needed to get rid of their old frame of thought
and build new ones together where they would be able to effectively interact
with one another in a positive and welcoming environment. My friend has told me
that counseling has been such a great experience for them both and has made
their marriage that much stronger just by being able to better understand each
other. Therefore, I have considered pursuing marriage counseling with my
husband so we can achieve the same results. It is interesting to see how one’s
frame of mind can cause conflict with another, but the opening up of that mind
can make all the difference.
I think each
example has the opportunity to be framed differently. I believe that if the
effort is put in to open up your mind to something, a different viewpoint is
always possible and can most of the time produce better more effective
outcomes. I think that the exercise taught me that surfacing frames,
identifying them and developing and creating new frames is a lengthy process
that is not easily achieved. I think that different frames, perceptions,
viewpoints, or opinions, make the process extremely difficult in being able to better
the outcomes of our differences as it can be hard to change our train of
thought.
Other tools I
could have used to help me through the process would have been; focus on the
objective, identify all constraints, analysis of assumptions, reference point
analysis and prospective hindsight. I believe that use of each of these strategies
can better assist me with making better choices and being able to open up my
mind to new viewpoint that I didn’t think was possible. Through my choices I
feel as though I have offered a certain amount of risk; however I do not feel
it was extensive. I tend to play it safe most of the time so in actuality I
think that I should probably take more risk with any recommendations I may
offer in the future.
Lastly, I believe
what I learned most is something that I already knew. Life itself is a work in
progress. I am always trying to better myself and make better choices, for myself
and my family in both a professional and personal regard. I was reminded that
change is not easy and that it takes a strong individual to stay dedicated to
something that is important to them. Changing someone perspective can be a
tasking, difficult, lengthy process but I have learned that it can also be
rewarding. I think the biggest lesson I learned from this exercise is to stick with
any changes I am looking to make because as frustrating as it may be to accomplish,
the benefits reaped from the change can offer amazing, life changing results.
Cassandra R.
