“What do you think?”…I love sharing ideas, thoughts, plans and feedback BUT being asked this question and being able to answer it has involved a fair bit of practice for me and numerous scientists out there.

Here is why – We are taught OBJECTIVITY from day 1 of our science degrees which is then reinforced for the next 3 to 4 to 6 years and beyond. Every statement is questioned as fact, where is the research to back it up? Has this been proven? Is the source credible? How many papers have been written on this? What were the test conditions? How many times has this been tested? I could go on. As a result we are great at asking questions but not so much at giving opinions. Imagine if your mind processed all these questions and seeks to understand all the information before forming an answer.

This produces certain results and social outcomes. In a world where people say what they think more than ever before and share their thoughts often and publicly scientists are facing silent challenges.

What do I think, believe or have to say about that? When we don’t have the answer our minds can seek and seek and seek. Somethings aren’t easily understood or explained e.g. gut feelings/intuition which we feel and use powerfully in questioning. Explaining your gut feelings/intuition becomes justifying yourself. When you are constantly justifying yourself keeping an eye on your self worth is critical otherwise you find yourself in a questioning environment doubting everything about yourself, your skills and risk your reputation.

You don’t want to stall in answering questions for this is often misconstrued for a lack of knowledge and expertise in your specialist area, socially disconnected or indecisive. Along with this frustration is the pain that is caused by those jumping to conclusions without having the full picture or all the facts.

The best gift objectivity has given me is Equanimity! Rarely jumping to conclusions is a powerful skill in leadership. Reconnecting to my intuition and trusting it without evidence has been and will continue to be a journey for me. Using both my objectivity and intuitive skills sets = key to future success.

I would love your thoughts and feedback! Email me at tarryn@tarrynwinson.com