The map is the territory

Published by Tony Quinlan on

"What concerns me is not the way things are, but rather the way people think things are."

Epicetus

Because all too often in communications, I’ve heard it argued that "they" (meaning employees) have got the story wrong.  When actually, whatever story people have built is theirs – and no amount of arguing the facts will change it.

It all boils down to cognitive patterns again.  Data get twisted to fit how we think the world is.  It takes more than data (save in exceptional circumstances) to change people’s stories of the world.

In communications, perception is reality.

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