The Only Thing I Can Trust Is Myself and My Own Eyes.
Thomas Erikson describes excessive checking through his Blue personality label. Requiring repeated proof of every detail can delay work and leave colleagues feeling distrusted, even when verification is intended to prevent mistakes.
THE IDEA
“The Only Thing I Can Trust Is Myself and My Own Eyes.”
The guy who questions Excel has, of course, a problem explaining himself. Many people around him have their views about his method of always having to double-check and triple-check everything he does himself and everything everyone else does. They get furious when he, through his actions, clearly shows that he doesn’t trust them.
The other tiny little problem is that everything takes a terribly long time. This can be managed by working more hours. What’s more problematic is the way relationships can suffer because of this habit. How demoralizing is it when you go up to someone to tell him about a possible breakthrough and the first thing the person does is isolate all the different components and call into question every single point?
Of course, if everyone looks long enough they will find mistakes.
Nor is it even sufficient to be right. You have to prove yourself to a Blue. If he considers you an authority in a particular field, he’ll be better at listening to you. The road, however, can be tricky.
I’ve held many training courses and lectures on this subject, and if there are people who ask complicated questions they’re usually engineers, technical sales staff, or financial controllers. Maybe a handful of tax lawyers. Oftentimes their color is Blue, and they’re not impressed with me. Just because I have made my living doing this for twenty years doesn’t mean I know what I’m talking about. (Remember the woman who was accused of being a perfectionist.)
The only thing you can do is accept that among these people, the standard of proof will be much higher. Facts always remain, as we know: If I have prepared well enough I can prove that what I am saying is true. In time, they will trust me.
When to use it
In project management, when a team member exhibits excessive verification behavior, leaders can set clear standards and provide evidence to build trust.
In education, instructors can encourage students to trust their own findings but also learn to rely on credible sources.
In quality assurance, a balanced approach between independent verification and collaborative trust improves efficiency and morale.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
The Excel Skeptic
A team member insists on manually verifying all spreadsheet calculations, causing delays and frustration among colleagues who feel distrusted.
Training Session Interrogation
In Erikson’s account of his lectures, engineers and financial controllers often ask detailed questions before accepting his claims. The example concerns the proof a speaker must provide to earn their trust.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
In what situations have you found yourself double-checking others' work excessively?
How can you balance thorough verification with trust in your team?
Consider a time when you felt distrusted; how did it affect your motivation and performance?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Surrounded By Idiots (Thomas Erikson)