The Great Headline Rush

And we're off. . .!

The morning's news trumpeted  "US Teens Lag in Global Education Rankings as Asian Countries Rise to the Top."   If you read just the headline (By Daniel Arkin, NBC News) you would have fallen prey to the all-too-popular "woe is the American education system - let's have more testing!" mentality.

If, however, you read deeper into the article (and thank you Mr. Arkin for a thoughtful analysis) you would have discovered this nugget.  Shanghai students dominated in the exam, but Tom Loveless, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution  says that "the educational system in that city is not equitable - and the students tested are progeny of the elite because they are the only ones permitted to attend municipal schools due to restrictions that, among other things, prohibit many migrant children."

Oh.  So. . .there was a lot more to the story. . .

Similarly, sometime in the past year I ran across the "expose" that grocery stores were encouraging shoppers to buy more groceries by providing bigger grocery carts.   Apparently, a recent study indicated that people who used bigger carts bought more groceries. 

OK.   If it were a vast grocery store conspiracy - why would grocery stores keep adding more and more of those smaller carts?   And, oh by the way, doesn't it make sense that someone who is intent on buying more groceries would choose a bigger cart?

The reason I bring up these two examples is that I believe as a culture, and as leaders, we are too quick to jump off the springboard of irrational reaction simply because of a short soundbite.   Instead, we need to engage in some critical thought that allows us to make better informed decisions.

How many times has a team member  thrown something like this at you?

"Well, EVERYBODY says that. . ."
"This project is REALLY a catastrophe. . ."
"NOT ONE SINGLE THING IS GOING RIGHT. . ."

These are headlines that are designed to make you  jump up and take emotional action.  Caution. . .more than any other time, you need to take your time, do due diligence, make critical analysis and take thoughtful action.

First of all, as a professional, it is your duty to think critically about your business and find out additional information.  As a leader, it is your duty to guide your team with care, thought and precision.

Headlines are designed to grab your attention. . .but the stories that follow are what inform us as leaders and enable us to take fair and balanced action.

PS:  If you want another perspective on educational testing, read this column by Diane Ravitch:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-ravitch/international-test-scores_b_4379533.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education

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Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available for e-readers on Amazon Kindle.   If you are  a member of Amazon Prime, you can now read this book for free.

Keywords:  leaders, rush to judgment, irrational actions of leaders, critical thought in leadership.