From the course: Using Feedback to Drive Performance

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Fundamental attribution error

Fundamental attribution error

From the course: Using Feedback to Drive Performance

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Fundamental attribution error

- One of the greatest blunders in providing effective performance feedback is the fundamental attribution error. This is really just a fancy way of saying that too often, we judge other people by their behavior, while judging ourselves by our best of intention. And this brings me to another important element of effective performance feedback. You need to acknowledge intention alongside behavior when giving your feedback. A famous example of fundamental attribution error is in driving. When someone cuts us off, we assume that the driver is a self-centered, egotistical, good for nothing, downright jerk that should have their license revoked because they have no consideration for the road, and they're a complete hazard to society. However, whenever we cut someone off, we tend to find justifications for our actions. See, we didn't intend on cutting anyone off. We just didn't see them. We simply needed to get into the other…

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