Seeing Sideways - “Why Don’t They Get It?” Egocentric Bias Explained (and What to Do)

Get in touch with us! We’d appreciate your feedback and comments. What changes when you stop assuming people “get it” and start checking what they actually heard? In this chapter of Seeing Sideways, I break down egocentric bias—why we think others see what we see—and show simple ways to improve clarity, perspective-taking, and leadership communication. Walk away with practical prompts and routines that cut misunderstandings and build trust. Key Takeaway Insights & Tools Egocentric bias defined—“why we think others see what we see.” It tricks us into believing our intentions are obvious, our logic is universal, and our tone is clear. — 00:01:05The trap: brevity reads as cold, sarcasm lands as insult, “one pass” explanations don’t align teams. We blame their interpretation instead of our clarity. — 00:02:11The twist: this bias once saved effort in homogenous groups, but today diversity of contexts makes the shortcut unreliable. Projection ≠ connection. — 00:02:57–00:04:25The cost: trust erodes when we assume understanding. Vague instructions, misaligned teams, and conflicts that mistake “my reality” for the reality. — 00:04:25–00:05:46The contrarian move: perspective-taking, clarity checks, and reflective empathy. Ask, “What might they be seeing that I’m missing?” and make understanding a routine, not an accident. — 00:05:46–00:07:32 Support the show Sign up for the weekly IT"S AN INSIDE JOB NEWSLETTER takes 5 seconds to fill out receive a fresh update every Wednesday