• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cornerstone International Group

Executive Search Firm

About Cornerstone

About Cornerstone

The Cornerstone Edge

AESC

Leadership Team

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Become a Partner

Play Video

Get to know Cornerstone

Retained Executive Search

Discover

Retained Executive Search

Assessments

Specializations

Consumer / FMCG

Industrial

Non-Profit

Finance & Private Equity

Life Science & Health

More...

Find an Office

North America

Latin America

Europe / Middle East

Asia

 Find an Office

 Find a Search Consultant

Coaching / Leadership Dev

Discover

Executive Coaching Services

Leadership Development

Board & CEO Advisory Services

Assessments

Find a Coach

News / Blog

News & Blog Posts

National Outlooks

Videos

Surveys

Press Releases

Popular Blog Topics

COVID-19

diversity

leadership development

Healthcare

executive search

executive coaching

women in business

Life Science

neuroscience

vitality quotient

Latest Blog Post

Asia’s Fast-Growing EV Market Will Disrupt Automotive Industry Recruitment

June 2, 2022
Contact
Blog Be Careful Where You Sit
Jun 09

Be Careful Where You Sit

Dick Daniels of Cornerstone Executive Coach, Naples, Fla.

It’s known as Miles Law, and it’s attributed to Rufus Edward Miles, a Federal administrator who served as an assistant secretary under three U.S. presidents. It states: “where you stand depends on where you sit.”

The phrase acknowledges that where we stand in the perspectives that affect our opinions or decisions, comes from where we have been sitting in life. Our upbringing, education, network of friends and life experiences shape the bias of where we stand at any given moment in time.

We are all subject to bias in our opinions and preferences.  It may be wishful thinking to believe you do not.   What is much more to the point is to accept that you are susceptible to bias and know where you may be biased. This awareness allows you to discount it in an honest assessment of your options.  Here’s how:

Gaining Objectivity

Own your bias. Be honest with where you have been sitting and why you stand where you do. 

Examine your bias rationally. List other perspectives than your current conclusions. 

Expand your network to include people with whom you disagree. Then engage in reasoned but not emotional conversation. 

Evaluate your perspective. What are the reasons to continue or change your presumptions? 

Adjust your presumptions. Shift where you stand in spite of where you have been sitting. 

Identify the criteria that are essential to an objective decision. What are the important factors in the outcome of your decision? 

Weight the criteria. Each criterion does not have the same importance. Use a simple 1 to 5 scale. 

Measure each option in light of your weighted criteria. Score each option according to your numbers for each criterion. 

Make your best decision. What helps the most people and hurts the least people? 

Leadership Debrief

It’s okay to have bias. We all do. Just acknowledge that where you stand influences opinions, conclusions, and decisions.

265
SHARES
LinkedinFacebookTweetShareEmailPrint

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: assumptions, bias, leadership, objectivity, perspective

About Dick Daniels

Dick has over 17 years of executive coaching experience as well as three decades of adjunct teaching at the masters and doctoral level in organizational leadership. He is located in Naples, Florida and has led his Leadership Development practice with subject matter expertise as a leadership development strategist since 2008. He can be reached at dick-daniels@cornerstone-group.com or at dd@theLDG.org

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

  • News
    • Blog
    • National Outlooks
    • Press Releases
    • Newsletters
    • Surveys
    • Articles of Interest
    • Whitepapers
    • Videos

Get Latest Posts and Stay Informed

Our thought leaders share their industry knowledge and expertise.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent News

  • PRESS RELEASE: Cornerstone International Group Recognized as a Global Leader in Executive Talent Search June 21, 2022
  • The Cornerstone Eagle – June 2022 – Impactful Leadership June 17, 2022
  • Asia’s Fast-Growing EV Market Will Disrupt Automotive Industry Recruitment June 2, 2022

News / Blog Archives

Footer

Areas of Specialization

  • by Industry
    • Life Science & Health
    • Financial Services PE & Family Office
    • Industrial
    • Consumer
    • Technology
    • Private Equity
    • Infrastructure & EPC
  • by Function
    • Board Directors & CEO
    • Human Resources
    • Finance and Legal
    • Agile Talent
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Operations & Supply Chain

Quick Browse

  • Find an Office
  • Find a Consultant
  • Find a Coach

Services

  • Retained Executive Search
  • Board & CEO Advisory
  • Executive Coaching

About Us

  • About Cornerstone
  • The Cornerstone Edge
  • Join Cornerstone

Switch Language

Connect with Cornerstone

Copyright © 2022 · Cornerstone International Group · Sitemap

Website Development by LimeCuda

Member-Only Portal