Post: #1

I've been noticing this trend lately that there are two different types of people. Some are naturally inclined to see the big picture, others are naturally immersed in the technical aspect of things.

One example would be the trend that most of the best coaches were never great athletes, and vice versa. Another example would be how some people get so caught up with specific political issues, and others naturally look at the whole political spectrum. I see this a lot during class discussions in college.

Thoughts? Which do you see yourself as?

Post: #2

I've been reading Nate Silver's 'The Signal and the Noise,' which talks about how statistical predictions have failed or have improved over the years in a variety of areas, including the real estate crash in '06-'08, baseball, weather, and political races, among others. Silver gained fame mainly for predicting the last two presidential elections correctly in all 50 states. His chapter on predicting races for political office touches on this topic of big picture vs detail-oriented prognosticators, and uses an analogy seen as far back as Greek literature but attributed to Philip Tetlock: that of foxes and hedgehogs. From this review:

Quote:Hedgehogs, Silver says, are those who believe “in governing principles about the world that behave as though they were physical laws.” Foxes, by contrast, “are scrappy creatures who believe in a plethora of little ideas and in taking a multitude of approaches toward a problem.”

I've found when it comes to studying new things and being thrust into new situations, it is important to be a fox. That is, it's important to not stubbornly hold on to a view in spite of new information coming in. I think it's very important that people in technical fields be this way, including science, engineering, medicine, law, etc.

However, most people are not interested in details, leading them to gravitate towards the more magnetic and seemingly self-assured personalities of hedgehogs. You won't attract a bitch by being wishy-washy. I see the value in being a hedgehog in different, non-technical situations, in developing a 'system' regarding personal things such as your morality or expectations of those around you, and not waver from that. Make your own big picture. It's ok to be stubborn about your quality of life. It helps to attract others and to be a more magnetic leader.

Post: #3

That's an interesting analogy.

I'm not talking about being wishy-washy, I'm talking about how some people see how the world fits together better than others, in turn they are usually better leaders.

Post: #4

(03-19-2014 06:26 PM)General Mayhem Wrote:  That's an interesting analogy.

I'm not talking about being wishy-washy, I'm talking about how some people see how the world fits together better than others, in turn they are usually better leaders.

I am the opposite of detail oriented.. but excellent at organizing groups of people into doing things.
But I know people who can get whatever task you give them done perfectly... and won't stop till it's perfect, but hate being in front of a crowd.

It takes both kinds to make the world work. Big picture folks running things, detail folks following through on their plans and cleaning up the fallout from poorly thought out plans.

The owner may runs things, but the tech support keeps things running.
Equally important, but two completely different types of people.

Post: #5

(03-19-2014 06:49 PM)LaserBear Wrote:  

(03-19-2014 06:26 PM)General Mayhem Wrote:  That's an interesting analogy.

I'm not talking about being wishy-washy, I'm talking about how some people see how the world fits together better than others, in turn they are usually better leaders.

I am the opposite of detail oriented.. but excellent at organizing groups of people into doing things.
But I know people who can get whatever task you give them done perfectly... and won't stop till it's perfect, but hate being in front of a crowd.

It takes both kinds to make the world work. Big picture folks running things, detail folks following through on their plans and cleaning up the fallout from poorly thought out plans.

The owner may runs things, but the tech support keeps things running.
Equally important, but two completely different types of people.

That's exactly what I am talking about. Like you said, both are important, and I think it is helpful to know which one you are, especially as any kind of leader.

It seems like these days people want to believe they are big picture because in their minds it correlates with being "open minded." I don't think that's true.