false connections are the work of the association bias, which also influences the quality of our decisions. For example: We often condemn bearers of bad news, since we automatically associate them with the message’s content (otherwise known as “shoot-the-messenger syndrome”). Sometimes, CEOs and investors (unconsciously) steer clear of these harbingers, meaning the only news that reaches the upper echelons is positive, thus creating a distorted view of the real situation. If you lead a group of people, and don’t want to fall prey to false connections, direct your staff to tell you only the bad
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