Surface Ripples

Dealing with (Others') Opinions

A fact is information minus emotion.  An opinion is information plus experience.  Ignorance is an opinion lacking information and stupidity is an opinion that ignores a fact. (The Captain on Twitter).

We’re being bombarded by increasing numbers of opinions thanks to social media, so how do we as leaders deal with opinions without causing a meltdown?  There’s abundant discussion on Facebook about respecting other people’s “opinions”; for example, not getting vaccinated against COVID because, in the person’s opinion, it’s dangerous.  

Let’s apply the quote at the start of this article to this situation.  Someone says that they shouldn’t be vaccinated.  This is information (hopefully minus emotion) and so could be a fact.  They then tell us that they have a history of DVT.  Expert medical opinion (information + experience) suggests that certain vaccines are associated with increased risk of blood clots.  If this person says they don’t want to be vaccinated with a vaccine associated with increased risk of blood clots, that opinion is backed by credible evidence that they may run increased risk.  This is an opinion (information + experience).  Question: if there’s another vaccine that isn’t associated with higher risk of blood clots, does that invalidate their opinion?

To state that people’s opinions must be respected because they are people’s opinions ignores the possibility that this may be ignorance (opinion lacking information) or worse, stupidity (opinion ignoring facts).  To quote Professor Brian Cox, ‘The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion and have others listen to it.  The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion but, crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!”  What constitutes “demonstrable nonsense” is debatable, but ignorance (opinion - information) and/or stupidity (opinion ignoring fact) might count…

We can accept that others have different views based on both opinion or ignorance.  We don’t have to agree with them, particularly if it turns out that they aren’t based on fact + experience or are patently based on ignorance or “stupidity”.  The same applies to our own opinions.

Back to the vaccination example: some don’t want to be vaccinated because they’ve heard that healthcare workers have doubts. Is this opinion, ignorance or…?  The questions to ask would be:

1. Are these workers specialists in virology (or qualified doctors with virology/epidemiology expertise)?  In other words, are they qualified to give an opinion based on information?
2. On what facts (information - emotion) are their doubts based?
3. Are there facts and opinions (from virology/epidemiology experts) that suggest these doubts may not be justified or justified only in certain circumstances?

There are healthcare workers who want to be vaccinated - their opinion is just as valid.  We risk taking one opinion as more valid than another because it resonates with our views.  

The facts suggest that the chances of dying from COVID are much lower for those who have been vaccinated.

I can accept that someone doesn’t want to be vaccinated - that’s their right.  They must just accept that they may be barred from enjoying certain activities because others’ opinion is that they may pass COVID on to a vulnerable person who can’t be vaccinated because of other underlying issues.  

The problem arises because different opinions can be based on different information + experience.  How do we as leaders deal with this?

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With a wealth of international experience in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services.  For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.

Labels: Leadership, Teamwork

posted by William Martin @ 16:43