NORTHERN PLANNER

I’m sure you’re aware the Dunning Kruger effect, or if you like, the arrogance of ignorance. It’s been written about elsewhere of course, but worth just dwelling on it for a second, as the echo chamber if LinkedIn is perhaps making it worse then ever.

That point when folks have just a little knowledge or experience and immediately believe they have nothing more to learn. Nowadays, the validation of other keyboard warriors, many of whom have never had to do the job, can lead to all sorts of scrapes for agencies and their clients.

Just as ONE way of doing things, or one view on how it all works leads to average work all looking the same.

It’s particularly a problem for planners and strategy types who, admittedly, need to persuade and inspire like they’re right sometimes, but listen like they’re wrong EVERY time.

The best ideas (and strategy is simply informed ideas) come from relentless feedback and collaboration, as much spotting when someone has found something great, rather than needing to come up with it yourself.

That’s why I hate it when folks call planners the brains in the room, or put them on some sort of pedestal. Not only are the best planners not particularly clever, they are just wired differently, so pressure to be look smart and get the answer makes them defensive at best, feeling they need to fight for their ideas, often missing something perfectly amazing in front of their nose.

At worse, they believe the hype, which isn’t great for experienced practitioners and potentially crippling for more junior folks still finding their voice, and losing the drive to discover it.

It’s also why I’ve found many of the best planning types have not always been a planner. They may have been a suit, maybe a researcher, but the need to prove yourself when you switch into the role never fully leaves you, the fear of not being able to reach excellence, perversely means your more likely to find it.

What I’m saying is that Imposter Syndrome, like anxiety itself, can be a difficult malaise, it can paralyse you and wear you out. On the other hand, the best performers, in any shape or form, actually use the fear and adrenalin rush to push them to be at their best when it matters. Fear is energy when you are able to channel it.

That nagging doubt though, not on only does is drive you to continuously move forward because you’re incapable of fully thinking you know best – it opens you up to embrace the support, ideas and feedback of others.

Put another way, the more you see intelligence as mental flexibility and curiosity, rather than just knowledge as power, the more you are able to think everything you know might be wrong, and the better planner you’ll be.