From Dissonance to Consonance
WHAT IS cognitive DISSONANCE?
Psychologists have a reputation for the below-the-surface rumblings in our mental terrain: “cognitive dissonance.” In different words, you will have determined for yourself what actions fall inside the acceptable realm as far as a given value or belief worries. To be sure, it’s necessary to form these determinations. Otherwise, you will find yourself in a state of emotional disequilibrium–having failed to decide what your values are.
But what if you receive information that upsets what you have come to believe is true or valuable? You’re a thrown-off balance, so to talk, by the information that runs contrary to the belief system you’ve got established. Your moral “wholeness” currently includes a crack in it.
To illustrate, let’s assume you have placed a certain individual within the acceptable area on an integrity-spectrum. You have created your judgment based on his or her words and actions. Then you learn this person you look upon somebody of high ethical character has done something you consider unethical.
You actually have many choices available to you so as to change your mental “dissonance” to “consonance.” you can refuse to believe the story you’re hearing, so maintaining the image you’ve got of this person. Or, you’ll be able to relax your standards, perhaps even redefining what integrity suggests that to you, in order to keep this person’s behavior inside the realm of acceptability. Finally, you may decide to shift your opinion of this individual from the high end of your integrity scale to the lower end. But, the resolution of some kind is necessary. Otherwise, you may still experience psychological discomfort.
GREED isn’t GOOD
Let’s check out another example. If you were asked what core values you abide by, would you be able to specific them without hesitation? Many of us would notice this question a difficult one. Having lived through recent eras like me Generation, the Greed-Is-Good Era, and a Scandal-in-Government era, you’ll find yourself curious over ever before however steady your moral compass extremely is. Once you read that dishonest person still maintains the loyalty of their core supporters, you’ll even surprise if the integrity-component of the leadership personality is as necessary as you have continuously thought it was.
Current events force us to grapple with queries just like these. We decide our leaders in part because we believe them to be men and women who act with integrity that within the eyes of many is an integral aspect of leadership.
When we learn, though, they’re speculated to have done things we look on unethical, maybe even immoral, we’ve to create some powerful decisions. Can we still support such individuals? Can we revamp our opinions of them? Can we widen the borders close to appropriate behaviors? Can we take away certain actions from our previous definition, regarding them as unimportant after all? Can we decide that the person can still be an effective/successful leader despite his transgressions because the economy is powerful and/or as a result of the nation is at peace?
The best leaders “know from wherever they came and wherever they’re going.” And, according to an ancient Chinese proverb, a similar can be said for God’s creatures: “Not the cry, but the flight of the duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.”
As you work to dissonance to consonance, listen not so much to “the cry”, but instead, note the flight or aspiration of those who lead. Resolve the dissonance before you commit yourself to follow the workplace, community, spiritual or politician.
One should act in consonance with the way of heaven and earth, which is enduring and eternal. The superior man perseveres long in his course, adapts to the times, but remains firm in his direction and correct in his goals. Want to get trained more about dissonance to consonance? “Contact us” or direct “Enquiry” to join our personality development classes in Surat.