TAKE THE TIME - DO IT RIGHT
ACTION BIAS
A tendency to favor action over inaction, even without evidence of benefit.
We’ve been deceived for decades; turns out, most elevator “close” buttons haven’t worked since 1990.
Yet, they exist (and make us feel better) because of our innate urge to do something – anything - over standing idly by (physically or figuratively). In most cases, humans favor action over inaction, even when there’s no clear benefit to making a move.
This stems from an innate desire to control our own destiny. It’s been intensified by a society that equates action with progress and punishes in-action (“what have you done for me lately?”).
SO WHAT
While action bias helps us overcome “analysis paralysis” (see Choice Overload), sometimes doing nothing is the best course of action.
NOW WHAT
Embrace the power of a pause and assess if your decision is backed by real benefits and data.
Neutralize impulses by “training” the muscle of self-control and depleting it strategically; willpower is a finite resource.
Reward and celebrate non-action (in yourself and your teams) where appropriate; consideration and caution are also valuable qualities.
MARKETING IMPLICATION
Consumers are particularly primed to act (i.e. buy) on high-stress holidays like Cyber Monday and Black Friday. Where can you efficiently reach your target audience during these times to capitalize on their momentum to move?
Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.
- Joel Barker