What Is Confirmation Bias and How Is It Affecting Your Career?

What Is Confirmation Bias and How Is It Affecting Your Career?

Confirmation bias is when one seeks evidence to support what they already believe, rejecting contradictory observations in favor of what confirms their preexisting belief or hypothesis. It is a cognitive bias and a systemic error of inductive reasoning, and is a product of selective memory or information. It can be seen in the news, as our political scene continues to stay polarized and people on both sides of the political spectrum dig in their heels with self-righteousness. Confirmation bias is also a problem in our professional lives, as it can affect how we conduct surveys, lead focus groups, and analyze project reports. If we can identify this tendency and work to resolve it, we can advance in our careers and help our company make better decisions.

Confirmation bias can lead to flawed decision-making, which can have a negative impact on a business's success. When looking for a new employee, it is important to be aware of your bias and thin the herd before calling in a select group for interviews. Once you have someone across the desk from you, don't let confirmation bias direct your thinking just because they're wearing a pair of shoes you don't like. This can lead to a lack of strategic planning and put the business in jeopardy.