The Phantom Reality

Article | Accountability Insights

by Partners In Leadership | Mar 30, 2011

In your quest to operate Above The Line, moving from the Own It step to the Solve It step can prove challenging, particularly if you have not correctly diagnosed the problem to be solved. Before you make the personal investment that Own It requires, it may be a good time for a reality check. In doing so, it is important to be aware of something that we call the Phantom Reality.

A Phantom Reality is an inaccurate description of how things really are and it is something that we all experience on a regular basis. This phenomena of a Phantom Reality most often occurs when our desire to make things happen outweighs our desire to make sure it is really happening. When you operate under the assumptions of a Phantom Reality, your inaccurate view of “how things really are” can cause you to make the wrong decision, solve the wrong problem, and move in the wrong direction. Phantom Realities frequently lead to wasted time and effort and almost always impede people from achieving the intended result.

Here are five clues for knowing when you are under the influence of a Phantom Reality:

Clue No. 1:		People repeatedly suggest, imply, or tell you outright that you don’t really “get it.”
Clue No. 2:		You keep getting small glimpses of evidence, which you explain away, that suggest you are not seeing the situation quite right.
Clue No. 3:		You make statements about the way things are today based solely on old information and perceptions.
Clue No. 4:		You catch yourself checking out mentally when people appear to disagree with you and begin to tell you what they really think.
Clue No. 5:		You find yourself looking in vain for someone who will validate your perception of “how things are.”

Discovering that you have let yourself fall victim to a Phantom Reality can really surprise you, but that discovery can suspend all of the negative consequences of remaining unaware.

Perhaps you took our suggestion last week to sit down with someone that you really trust and discuss your ownership for the issue that you have identified as a Below The Line issue. While that conversation will help you Own It, it will also help you reveal where you may be under the influence of a Phantom Reality.

Remember, the Phantom Reality is an inaccurate description of how things really are, but is nevertheless the view that you have adopted as being a correct representation of reality. The danger: we don’t solve the real problems.

To learn more about the Phantom Reality, see our New York Times bestselling book, How Did That Happen? Holding People Accountable for Results the Positive, Principled Way, by going to www.partnersinleadership.com.