Plan continuation bias is the tendency to continue with an original course of action that is not longer viable. The phrase was developed during a study of airline pilots. The pilot’s behavior was observed when encountering unexpected changes to their flight plans.
Faced with unexpected severe weather the pilots would try to get to their original destination ahead of the storm rather than reroute to a safer airport. This sometimes resulted in unsafe landings in inclement weather. The pilots called it “Get-There-itis”.
I do this! YOU do this! In the last 12 months we have thousands of examples of racing against a pandemic. We were frequently unwilling to change in order to get things done. With dangerous consequences.
As parents we do this when the schedule of activities is packed too tight and a child gets sick. We keep plowing forward trying to complete all the tasks. Ever send a child to school sick? That’s plan continuation bias. The same goes for our businesses and jobs.
The antidote? To pause and assess. When an unexpected change happens, the best scenario is to recognize that something is different and to take a minute to reevaluate. If plan continuation bias is happening, it becomes a matter of wanting something better and making the decision to alter course.
When does this happen the most for you? How much do you lose by not changing course? Can you reduce your get-there-itis? – www.rhoadscoaching.com
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