We like to think we’re rational.

But we’re not.

Our perceptions and decisions reflect a complex and mostly unconscious process. Our brains take in all that’s going on around us, sort through (and mostly tune out) the stimuli based on our experiences and memories, make sense of what’s happening, and tell us how to react.

This process of winnowing down the inputs and interpreting them in light of our history is necessary. But by definition, it alters what we see, how we interpret it, and what we do.

When it comes to decision-making, we call it bias: systematic errors that affect our decisions and judgments.

Bias (unlike discrimination) isn’t right or wrong. It’s part of being human. It’s how our brains work. Yet while we may not be able to escape bias, we can significantly increase our effectiveness if we acknowledge and address it.

When it comes to cloth and meat, bias means something completely different. It’s a line diagonal to the grain — or in other words, a 45 degree angle.

That’s why I call my approach to coaching “315 degrees.” Through coaching, I hope to help those I work with understand themselves and those around them better. Using that awareness, my goal is to help them become more sophisticated and effective in how they interact with others.

In other words, I hope to take the 45 degrees of imperfection that exists in each of us, add in another 315 degrees, and get to 360 degrees — the complete, multi-faceted, powerful circle that reflects the best of we can be.

if you’re interested in reading more, check out the posts below.