Reference no: EM131816281

Egocentric Versus Empathetic Thinking

As stated earlier, a problem is a perceived difference between what is and what ought to be. When developing information systems, it is critical for the development team to have a common definition and understanding of the problem. This common understanding can be difficult to achieve, however.

Cognitive scientists distinguish between egocentric and empathetic thinking. Egocentric thinking centers on the self; someone who engages in egocentric thinking considers his or her view as "the real view" or "what really is." In contrast, those who engage in empathetic thinking consider their view as one possible interpretation of the situation and actively work to learn what other people are thinking.

Different experts recommend empathetic thinking for different reasons. Religious leaders say that such thinking is morally superior; psychologists say that empathetic thinking leads to richer, more fulfilling relationships. In business, empathetic thinking is recommended because it is smart.

Business is a social endeavor, and those who can understand others' points of view are always more effective. Even if you do not agree with others' perspectives, you will be much better able to work with them if you understand their views. Consider an example. Suppose you say to your MIS professor, "Professor Jones, I couldn't come to class last Monday. Did we do anything important?" Such a statement is a prime example of egocentric thinking. It takes no account of your professor's point of view and implies that your professor talked about nothing important.

As a professor, it is tempting to say, "No, when I noticed you weren't there, I took out all the important material." To engage in empathetic thinking, consider this situation from the professor's point of view. Students who do not come to class cause extra work for their professors. It does not matter how valid your reason for not attending class; you may actually have been contagious with a fever of 102. But, no matter what, your not coming to class is more work for your professor. He or she must do something extra to help you recover from the lost class time.

Using empathetic thinking, you would do all you can to minimize the impact of your absence on your professor. For example, you could say, "I couldn't come to class, but I got the class notes from Mary.

I read through them, and I have a question about establishing alliances as competitive advantage. . . . Oh, by the way, I'm sorry to trouble you with my problem." Before we go on, let's consider a corollary to this scenario: Never, ever, send an email to your boss that says, "I couldn't come to the staff meeting on Wednesday. Did we do anything important?"Avoid this for the same reasons as those for missing class. Instead, find a way to minimize the impact of your absence on your boss.

Now, what does all of this have to do with MIS? Consider the FlexTime team at the start of this chapter. What is the problem? Tara thinks it's Felix's not coming to meetings. Felix thinks the team is focused on costs and should focus on increasing sales. We're not sure how Jan sees the problem. Kelly, once she understands what is going on, is likely to be focused on wasted employee time. Now imagine yourself in that meeting. If everyone engages in egocentric thinking, what will happen? The meeting will be argumentative and acrimonious and likely will end with nothing accomplished. Suppose, instead, that the attendees think empathetically.

In this case, Tara may make an effort to find out why Felix is missing meetings. Felix would make an effort to understand why his behavior is a problem to the team. The team would make a concerted effort to address the different points of view, and the outcome will be much more positive-possibly a recognition that the team should be meeting virtually and asynchronously.

Either way, the attendees have the same information; the difference in outcomes results from the thinking style of the attendees. Empathetic thinking is an important skill in all business activities. Skilled negotiators always know what the other side wants; effective salespeople understand their customers' needs. Buyers who understand the problems of their vendors get better service. And students who understand the perspective of their professors get better

Discussion Questions

1. In your own words, explain how egocentric and empathetic thinking differ.

2. Suppose you miss a staff meeting. Using empathetic thinking, explain how you can get needed information about what took place in the meeting.

3. How does empathetic thinking relate to problem definition?

4. Suppose you and another person differ substantially on a problem definition. Suppose she says to you, "No, the real problem is that . . . " followed by her definition of the problem. How do you respond?

5. Again, suppose you and another person differ substantially on a problem definition. Assume you understand his definition. How can you make that fact clear?

6. Explain the following statement: "In business, empathetic thinking is smart." Do you agree?