When I am really sick, I see a Doctor. Why? Because they are trained to assess the symptoms/data/evidence I present with. In essence I trust that they know what they are doing.

This trust is based on my understanding that through a unique and powerful combination of training, education and experience they are able to assess the data and from this make an informed diagnosis and recommend a treatment.

What’s my role in all of this? Well it’s not to think I am a better Doctor.

My role is to take this information and decide whether or not I wish to act on this. Do I take the treatment, get a second opinion, ignore it and carry on?

The rational response to this is to ask, what was the diagnosis and the treatment my Doctor is recommending. If it’s a  potentially fatal condition  - like Cancer, Ebola, Bird Flu, etc. and i need to take a radical treatment I need to consider carefully my responses.

Once again the rational decision is to follow a course of action that reduces the risk to  my health and well being. ie. seek a second opinion, gather more data and/or seek a variation as to the treatment options. But certainly I should act on it.

What is certainly not a rational response is to ignore it, or deny the diagnosis because I don’t believe it.

While denial is not a rational response, it is not uncommon. It also is an important part of a grief cycle - as described by Kubler Ross

Given the amazing and bizarre stuff going on in the Australian Parliament this week - one wonders whether or not we are observing this process?

Interestingly, in our work with companies, we often see a similar scenario when it comes to killing a project, or recognising the end of what was once a great strategy or opportunity.

What always helps is re-establishing a  common language built around the data - in our case - data on what customers are demanding. In the case of climate change - data from the latest readings

For those of you who are interested in digging down to the base information - we would recommend an interesting report that was just released looking at the data from an independent - non politicised - perspective.

http://www.copenhagendiagnosis.org/default.html

Referring back to the data allows a new perspective to be formed and a more rational approach to be considered.

In highly emotive situations this can provide you with right input into a decision making process  that may well be the difference between your business, product or technology surviving and prospering or dying an untimely death.