Page 48 - November 2020 Voices
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SKILLS 2.0 CORNER
Cognitive Flexibility: How to Win Friends and Untwist People
Sudhir Gautam, DL4
Imagine a belief you’ve held for a long time. Can we build it?
The next obvious question that arises is - can
Climate change is real or fake we build cognitive flexibility? The answer seems
Vaccinations are good or bad to be yes. Research provides us enough tools to
Eating kale & broccoli not only build it but also measure it.
everyday is good for you
Santa is real How can we build it?
Now imagine that you come across new Let us look at some of the hands-on tools
information that goes against your long held available for us to acquire and build cognitive
belief. How do you react? Are you open to flexibility.
considering changing your belief? Or are you
rigid and set in your ways, despite the new Plan A / Plan B—In simple terms, think of
information? Your answer will be an indication different ways in which you can solve a
of how cognitively flexible you are. problem, especially when your first or default
solution hasn’t worked. Just remembering this
What is Cognitive Flexibility? phrase in situations that require any kind of
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to change problem solving will help.
your beliefs or plans when new information or
situation is presented. In other words, it’s our Big Deal / Little Deal—Lack of cognitive
ability to adapt to new situations, incorporate flexibility can get us in a logjam when problems
new information to get out of sticky situations arise. A lot of times people get overwhelmed
and avoid potential bad decisions. by a small problem because their brains
can’t contextualize the scope of the problem.
Why is it important? This happens a lot in children because their
Cognitive flexibility is a crucial executive brains are still getting wired but grown-ups
function of the brain and plays an important are not immune from this problem. Ever seen
role in things like creativity, problem solving, someone stuck while cooking because they’re
and better decision-making. On the flip side, lack missing one possibly optional ingredient?
of cognitive flexibility can result in things like
addiction, bad decisions in life or just a general Learn new things frequently—Try to learn
rigid way of looking at things. new things as often as possible. Failing is fine
48 ONE COMMUNITY
