
Arrival of Cortés in Vera Cruz. In 1519, Hernán Cortés took command of an expedition from Cuba to explore the mainland and open it for colonization. It was a brash act, because he had been recalled, an order which he chose to ignore. But it was not his last brash act. When he landed in Vera Cruz in mid-year, he scuttled his ships, shown in the painting in the harbor. His purpose was to eliminate all thought of retreat from the minds of his men.
This is one example of the many ways we can "burn bridges." In this case, Cortés' choice to cut off all possibility of retreat was very likely a critical success factor for his mission. The modern advice to "never burn bridges" might usually be good advice, but not always. The image is of a mural-sized painting, oil on canvas, which is part of the Jay I. Kislak Collection at the U.S. Library of Congress. It dates to the second half of the seventeenth century.
Words of wisdom are typically so elegantly stated that we are seduced by their elegance. We accept them unquestioningly, because we think that their truth is obvious. But when we examine them more closely, with our brains fully engaged, we can often see that these beliefs are easily misapplied. Here's Part II of a collection of Wacky Words of Wisdom. See "Wacky Words of Wisdom," Point Lookout for July 14, 2010, and "Wacky Words of Wisdom: III," Point Lookout for July 11, 2012, for more.
- Well, if you really think it will take that long, you better get started
- This comment is useful for shaming a subordinate into abandoning objections about the scale of an effort, but it also works when coercing peers who are responsible for the task in question. The comment usually halts any further strategic thinking or discussion about the scale of the contemplated commitment.
- Rarely is halting thinking or discussion actually helpful to anyone other than the person doing the coercing. The decision about proceeding with any project certainly must take into account how much effort is required. If the effort involved is large enough, it behooves us to consider alternatives that might be less costly or take less time, and we might even decide to abandon the objective altogether. But exploring these alternatives isn't possible when we stop thinking.
- Never burn bridges
- Really? Really, never? I doubt it. The reference to bridges is metaphorical — the bridges are actually options or relationships. The adage cautions one not to deliberately close out options, or terminate or curtail any relationship.
- But obeying such a broad commandment would entail, for example, maintaining relationships even with those whom one regards as inclined toward the unethical or criminal, and those with whom further association is politically dangerous. Much more valuable advice: be selective about burning bridges. Burn only the bridges that ought to be burnt.
- In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy
- This comment, Be selective about burning bridges.
Burn only the bridges
that ought to be burnt.attributed to J. Paul Getty, does contain a valuable insight, namely, that our experiences tend to cause us to form attachments to things that might be changing. Those attachments can sometimes limit our ability to change. But the operative phrase is could be, which many interpret as is. We "hear" the comment as if the could be were is, and that's the source of the problem. - Some experiences can create problems; others can be helpful. For instance, experience includes experience with change itself, which might be helpful indeed. Our experience with previous changes can help us adapt more readily when we must adapt. It can also help us recognize changes that won't last, and thereby save us from adapting to something that's only transitory. Experience is the source of good judgment.
We'll continue with this exploration in a few weeks, looking at three more examples of over-generalized beliefs. Meanwhile, can you think of examples from your own experience? First in this series | Next in this series Top
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For more examples, see "Wacky Words of Wisdom," Point Lookout for July 14, 2010, "Wacky Words of Wisdom: III," Point Lookout for July 11, 2012, "Wacky Words of Wisdom: IV," Point Lookout for August 5, 2015, "Wacky Words of Wisdom: V," Point Lookout for May 25, 2016, and "Wacky Words of Wisdom: VI," Point Lookout for November 28, 2018.
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Related articles
More articles on Personal, Team, and Organizational Effectiveness:
Keep a Not-To-Do List
- Unless you execute all your action items immediately, they probably end up on your To-Do list. Since
they're a source of stress, you'll feel better if you can find a way to avoid acquiring them. Having
a Not-To-Do list reminds you that some things are really not your problem.
Organizational Firefighting
- Sometimes companies or projects get into trouble, and "fires" erupt one after another. When
this happens, we say we're in "firefighting" mode. But it's more than a metaphor — we
have a lot to learn from wildland firefighters.
Management Debt: I
- Management debt, like technical debt, arises when we choose paths — usually the lowest-cost paths
— that lead to recurring costs that are typically higher than alternatives. Why do we take on
management debt? How can we pay it down?
Confirmation Bias: Workplace Consequences Part I
- We continue our exploration of confirmation bias, paying special attention to the consequences it causes
in the workplace. In this part, we explore its effects on our thinking.
Listening to Ramblers
- Ramblers are people who can't get to the point. They ramble, they get lost in detail, and listeners
can't follow their logic, if there is any. How can you deal with ramblers while maintaining civility
and decorum?
See also Personal, Team, and Organizational Effectiveness and Critical Thinking at Work for more related articles.
Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout
Coming January 27: Cost Concerns: Comparisons
- When we assess the costs of different options for solving a problem, we must take care not to commit a variety of errors in approach. These errors can lead to flawed decisions. One activity at risk for error is comparing the costs of two options. Available here and by RSS on January 27.
And on February 3: Cost Concerns: Bias
- When we consider the costs of problem solutions too early in the problem-solving process, the results of comparing alternatives might be unreliable. Deferring cost concerns until we fully understand the problem can yield more options and better decisions. Available here and by RSS on February 3.
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Decis
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- A recording of a program presented June 24, 2020, Monthly
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- A recording of a program presented June 24, 2020, Monthly
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