A Silent Night — What Earplugs Taught Me About the Power of Belief In the Workplace
By Dr. Pia Fitzgerald
Keywords: Confirmation Bias, Workplace Beliefs, Team Dynamics, Cognitive Bias in Decision Making, Effective Workplace Communication
Ever been jolted awake in the dead of night by the TV blasting the jarring yet passionate debates of Stephen A. (nothing personal, Mr. Smith)? No? Just me?
It's 2 a.m., and my husband is absorbed in a late-night sports debate, oblivious to the fact that his beloved wife is teetering on the edge of insanity. Noise at night? It's like someone's tapping my forehead with a cold spoon – hurts my soul! Cruel! My head is pounding, nausea is setting in, and I'm about two seconds away from punching someone; I mean something.
So, what do I do? Instead of punching my (fill in the blank) or snatching the remote and tossing it out the window, I did what any desperate, noise-sensitive person would do: I reached for my foam earplugs. Sighing with relief, I find them, smoosh them, twist them, and pop them in. Ah, sweet relief. The noise? Gone. The peace? Restored. Stephen A., who? I'm drifting back to sleep, relieved and satisfied with my next level cleverness.
Hours later, I woke up feeling refreshed. As I stretched, I reached up to remove the earplugs except… there were no earplugs. Nothing. Nada. Panic set in. Had they somehow traveled down my ear canal during the night? Frantically, I searched my ears. As I became more fully awake, it hit me: I never actually put in the earplugs.
Wait, what?
I sat there puzzled. How had I managed to fall back asleep if I hadn't actually used the earplugs? The noise seemed to soften, and I peacefully drifted back to sleep. Slowly, it began to make sense. It was the power of belief—my mind was so convinced I inserted earplugs that my body responded as if I had! The mind, I tell you, is a strange and wonderful place.
Belief in the Workplace: Are You Wearing Imaginary Earplugs?
So, what does this middle-of-the-night earplug drama have to do with the workplace? More than you might think. You see, just like I was convinced those earplugs were doing their job, our beliefs at work can shape our perceptions and actions, often in ways that make as much sense as an air sandwich with no pickles. Enter stage left: confirmation bias—the sneaky mental habit where we see what we expect to see, whether it's real or not.
Confirmation bias is that sneaky little cognitive trick where we interpret new information in a way that confirms what we already believe. It's like deciding you hate pineapple pizza, and then every bite just confirms your theory that pineapple and pizza should never be on the same plate. (This is probably a bad example because I find pineapple on pizza disrespectful—there, I said it.)
In the workplace, confirmation bias is the enemy of good teamwork. Suppose you've decided that Jamie from accounting is unreliable. In that case, you'll start noticing everything they do wrong while conveniently overlooking that they saved your tail more than once with those last-minute reports. Just like my imaginary earplugs, your belief creates a reality that isn't necessarily true.
The Comedy of Errors: When Belief Takes Over
Remember Liza from marketing? She is the one always late to meetings, at least according to your watch. It doesn't matter if she's only been late twice in six months—those two times are burned into your brain like a song you can't shake. Every time you see her, you think, "Oh, here comes late Liza." Meanwhile, she's quietly crushing it at work, and you're too busy polishing your bias to notice.
This is where confirmation bias shines—it filters out anything that doesn't fit your narrative, turning your workplace into a sitcom where everyone plays their expected roles. And let's be honest, the script is getting old.
The Consequences of Running a One-Person Show
If you let these biases run the show, you're in for a rough ride. Decisions get skewed, teamwork falls apart, and before you know it, the office is less Ted Lasso and more like The Office—awkward silences, misunderstandings, and everyone stuck in their own weird little worlds. When people are too busy confirming their biases, trust goes out the window, confidence takes a nosedive, and collaboration is as rare as a decent cup of office coffee.
And it's not just about hurting feelings. This stuff gets in the way of innovation and progress. There's no room for fresh ideas or new approaches if everyone's stuck in their little belief bubbles. It's like conversing with someone who's only listening to themselves, beckoning you to discreetly reach for the proverbial earplugs! Geez Louise!
Popping the Bias Bubble: Steps Toward a Better Workplace
So, how do you pop that bias bubble and get back to reality? It's easier than you think:
Self-Reflect Regularly: Give yourself a reality check now and then. Ask yourself, "Am I seeing this situation clearly, or am I just confirming what I already believe?" Trust me, this is as essential as our morning coffee.
2. Cultivate Curiosity Over Criticism: Instead of jumping to conclusions, try jumping to questions. Be curious. Ask Liza why she was late—maybe there's a good reason (or at least a funny one).
3. Open Up the Dialogue: Create a space where everyone can talk about their "Jamies" safely and constructively (the goal is not to tear down Jamie). You'll be surprised by how many people have their own version of Jamie and how many Jamies are misunderstood.
4. Practice Active Listening: Stop planning your response while the other person is talking. Really listen. It's amazing what you can learn when you actually pay attention.
5. Encourage Reflective Feedback: When giving feedback, stick to the facts. Focus on what happened, not what you think happened based on your bias--keep it honest and specific.
Why It Matters: Building Confidence, Connection, and Collaboration
By challenging confirmation biases, we open up new possibilities for our workplace and create a hub for confidence, connection, and collaboration. When you challenge your assumptions, you open the door to new ideas and stronger relationships. The team starts to function like a well-oiled machine—everyone pulling in the same direction, and for once, no one's stuck in their own head.
So, the next time you catch yourself jumping to conclusions or falling back on old beliefs, remember my foam earplug story. Sometimes, the noise in our heads is just that—noise. And when you quiet that noise, you might find that your workplace is a lot more peaceful, productive, and, dare I say, enjoyable. And that, my friends, is worth a good night's sleep.
