Resisting the Temptation to Stay in System 1
Working remotely comes with an abundance of perks. My favorite is the flexibility to handle family affairs, especially during the summer when the kids are out of school. It does, however, come with downsides as well. Much of what I do at work contains system 2 thinking, while many things around the home, like laundry, dishes, and cooking, can be done with system 1 thinking.
“System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control.”[1] System 2 on the other hand, “allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, including complex computations. The operations of system 2 are often associated with the subjective experience of agency, choice, and concentration.” [2]
The problem with remote work is that the temptation to default to system 1 is strong, so system 1 activities like housework can become a distraction from the difficult system 2 thinking that is critical for my role as a leader. Kahneman describes System 2 as being lazy and resistant to kick in, given our human nature to take the path of least resistance.
Aside from the pitfalls of remote work, system 1 and system 2 thinking have tremendous implications for any leader.
Both systems are God-given gifts and wonderful to be used when it’s appropriate. The problem is when we are using system 1 thinking in a system 2 situation, and are unaware of our system 1 thinking. In system 1, we depend on heuristics, which is one of the reasons that we can do this thinking with a relatively low cognitive load. “Heuristics are mental shortcuts that can facilitate problem-solving and probability judgments. These strategies are generalizations, or rules-of-thumb, that reduce cognitive load.” [3]
One of my go-to heuristics, which doubles as a bias, is the optimism bias. I am generally optimistic and believe that there will be victory over hardship, that I can take on increased responsibility, and that overall people are good and trustworthy. This optimism shows in my system 1 thinking, when I am quick to see a problem and decide to take on additional responsibility to solve the problem. I can vastly underestimate what is required to be successful, and diminish the toll it will take on myself, my team, or my family. When I am able to use system 2 thinking appropriately, I can realistically weigh the resources required to be successful, and if it is worth the time and effort. When I’m engaging in system 2 thinking, I’ll more often say no (to others and myself).
Heuristics and biases have major implications in leadership, both in how we make decisions, and in understanding how those we lead make decisions.
Leadership is hard work. Not only can it be emotionally draining, but it requires system 2 thinking to be successful. What is worse, we can lead out of system 1 thinking, completely unaware, and make poor decisions as a result. This idea of being wrong without awareness is better described by Kathryn Schulz, “Of all the things we are wrong about, this idea of error might well top the list. It is our meta-mistake: we are wrong about what it means to be wrong.” [4] These poor decisions can have unseen consequences and missed opportunities.
Another bias in stage 1 thinking is described in chapter fifteen “LINDA: LESS IS MORE”. [5] Stage 1 thinking overlooks logic and probability in favor of a plausible story. Brené Brown describes this same bias in different words, “Our brains reward us with dopamine when we recognize and complete patterns. Stories are patterns. The brain recognizes the familiar beginning-middle-end structure of a story and rewards us for clearing up the ambiguity. Unfortunately, we don’t need to be accurate, just certain”. [6] This is critical for leaders to remember, as it spotlights the importance of robust communication when working in teams, especially when change, or discouraging news is involved. When communication is incomplete or sparse, people will automatically fill in the missing pieces with plausible, but often untrue, information.
Another challenge with system 1 thinking, is that there seems to be a growing trend in younger generations to be more resistant to system 2 thinking. In an age of quick fixes, low resistance, and high stimulation, teenagers and young adults struggle to push through the discomfort of switching from system 1 to system 2 thinking. Helping people on our teams be aware of, and engage in system 2 thinking is critical for the health of an organization.
So what am I going to do about all of this?
I will be humble to admit mistakes in judgment, especially in situations where I am prone to lean too heavily on system 1 thinking. I will challenge my teams to engage in system 2 thinking, despite the natural resistance. I will work to improve my system 1 thinking in areas of leadership, so that my intuitive response stems from a system 2 foundation.
Whether I am working from home and resisting the temptation to do laundry or leading a team of young adults, I will remember Kahneman’s teaching and work hard to engage in system 2 and help those around me do the same.
[1] Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011), 20.
[2] Ibid, 19
[3] “Why Do We Take Mental Shortcuts?” n.d. The Decision Lab. Accessed February 29, 2024. https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/heuristics.
[4] Kathryn Schulz, Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error (New York: HarperCollins Publisher, 2010), 5.
[5] Kahneman, 156-165.
[6] Brown, Brené. 2017. Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. 2017 Random House trade paperback edition. New York: Random House.
About the Author
Christy Liner
10 responses to “Resisting the Temptation to Stay in System 1”
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Hi Christy, I can relate to the beauty of working from home and sometimes wish I could do it more often. You mentioned that leadership is hard work and requires system 2 thinking. What are some steps that would help you develop into a system 2 thinking in leadership?
Hi Christy,
Thank you for pointing out the challenges and strategies for navigating the complexities of remote work. I work from home as well and I never thought about all the convenience – System 1.
How would you address biases and heuristics impact on leadership decisions?
Hi Shela, in some ways, it’s all about self-awareness and being able to discern when we are prone to error. This goes for myself as well as the teams I’m leading. For my teams – I think communication is so critical – because otherwise gaps are filled in subconsciously. Therefore, certain leadership decisions need to be coupled with a communication plan simultaneously.
Thanks for this post, Christy.
I was drawn to this moment of what seems like self-reflective pausing and assessment:
“When I am able to use system 2 thinking appropriately, I can realistically weigh the resources required to be successful, and if it is worth the time and effort. When I’m engaging in system 2 thinking, I’ll more often say no (to others and myself)”.
As a fellow optimist, what strategies do you have to get out of certitude, and decide to engage in further resources?
Hi Joel – knowing my tendency to underestimate and overcommit – a practical thing is to give a bit of space before responding. That might only be 1 hour, or 1 day, but that space helps me to engage in system 2 a bit more!
Christy,
Good insight on the challenges of working from home. Though about half of my work is from home and half is in the community, I find similar challenges. I really struggle to sit at my desk and do system 2 processing work while there are things that need to be done in the house. As soon as my kids all head off to school I spend 15 minutes or so cleaning the whole house (again) so that I can have a better focus on the work I will be doing. What do you have in place to help you focus more on the system 2 stuff?
Great analysis Christy. I’m wondering, with regard to upgrading system 1 thinking, how do you plan to do that?
Christy!!
As a fellow remote worker (of course, it’s my company!!) I could empathize with your thoughts on working from home. I have done it for about 10 years now, and it is not always easy, but I love the perks. Your thoughts on the struggles of working remotely and how our biases affect leadership decisions fascinate me. I’m interested in how you want to work on improving your leadership skills and helping others do the same. As you go through this journey, how do you think you can track progress and ensure that your efforts to think more deeply lead to actual improvements in leadership and the company?
Hi Christy,
I love that I can read your posts and view the other side of the diagram. 🙂
That being said, the Brené Brown quote you gave … isn’t that counterculture to what we’ve been learning so far in this program? In other words, quoting Kathryn Schulz, what if the person is wrong? What if humility is the key piece and not certainty?
Also, as I read the Brené Brown quote, I was reminded of Jason’s words while at Oxford, “be mindful of the stories we tell ourselves.”
Your thoughts?
Hi Nancy, I think what Brené Brown meant is that our minds can often deceive us. Our brains are wired to find some explanation to confusing events, and as long as our brains can come up with a story, we’ll be satisfied. Unfortunately, that story can be very wrong, but we will still be satisfied.