Thinking Errors: Part 2 of 2

Thinking Errors by Salt Dental Practice Management Consultants

Part 2 of 3 

Here are more thinking errors that you or someone in your office may do:

11.  Externalizing Blame:

Since you are better than everyone else, anything that goes wrong is not your fault.  If you are unhappy, it is not your fault; things are just not going your way.

Example:  The crown would have fit just fine if the patient had been more cooperative when we tried to take the impression.

Payoff:  Your image of yourself remains untarnished.  You never have to put any effort into changing some aspect of yourself.

Consequence:  You keep repeating the same mistakes.

12.  Failure to Endure Adversity:

Life should not be hard for you.  You’ve been victimized enough.  The ups and downs of real life are for other people; you should be exempt.

Example:  Making temporaries is just too hard, so it’s better if someone else does it.

Payoff:  You do not have to do anything you don’t want to.

Consequence:  You stay stuck and do not grow.  People stop helping you because you don’t really want help.

13.  Fortune Telling:

You possess the ability to see into the future and what you see is always bad. You refuse to accept feedback to the contrary.

Example: There's no reason to try to change, the doctor always goes back to the old way after a few weeks anyway.

Payoff: You are smart to vegetate. You do not have to take any risks.

Consequence: You do nothing to help yourself or others.

14.  Grandiosity:

This is the belief that you are superior to other people. Since you are better than everyone else, you have the right to decide which rules of society apply to you and which ones you may disregard. You are right and should never be questioned by others.

Example: What I say goes. Don't question me.

Payoff: You do not have to doubt yourself. Because you are better than others, you get to do what you want. Consequence: You lack empathy for yourself and others. You make the same mistakes because you refuse to believe you are doing anything wrong.

15.  “I can’t”

The excuse that you use when you don't want to act or take responsibility for your refusal to act.

Example: "I can't ask those questions of patients. I don't do it well and so I look stupid."

Payoff: You don't have to do what you don't want to.

Consequence: You don't grow. You accomplish little in your life.

16.  Image:

This is trying to copy the behavior of others because you do not have a true sense of self

Example: Walking, talking, dressing or acting like some one else.

Consequence: You will not be able to discover who you really are. You become a follower, not a leader.

17.  Jumping to Conclusions:

You make a negative interpretation even though there is not definite evidence that convincingly supports your conclusion. Two ways it can be done:

1. Mind reading           2. Fortune Telling

Example: "I can tell from the way that she looks at me, she doesn't like me."

Payoff: You do not have to bother to gather information or consult others for their feedback. You are always right.

Consequence: You make false assumptions and poor decisions. People stop trying to help you because you don't listen.

18.  Labeling and Mislabeling:

This is an extreme form of over generalization. Instead of focusing on your mistaken behaviors, you label yourself a loser. Or you label others as jerks, etc.

Payoff: You get to experience victim stance and avoid having to solve problems.

19.  Lack of Empathy:

You lack the capacity to understand how your behaviors impact other people.

Example: You schedule another Dr.'s appointment during the work day, even though you know that the day will be busy and the other members of the team will have to put in a longer day and can't understand why they seem upset.

Payoff: You are entitled to be selfish.

Consequence: People abandon you after they find out how little you really care about them.

20.  Lack of Time Perspective - The Three "I's":

You have no realistic concept of time. You do not consider the past or the future when you act.

Instancy: "I have to do this right now."

Impatience: You become angry if your needs are not met instantly.

Impulsivity: If you do not get what you want right now, you are compelled to act without regard for the consequences of your actions.

Payoff: You do not have to delay gratification or tolerate frustration or anxiety.

If you would like more information, please contact us at info.saltdpm.com

Join us on facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SaltDentalPracticeManagement.

This is an original lesson by Salt Dental Practice Management

Thinking Errors that may be Destroying Your Office

THINKING ERRORS
Part 1 of 3

Thinking errors are thoughts and ideas that result from our inaccurate perception of reality. However, when we use thinking errors we are doing so on purpose. We use thinking errors in order to avoid taking responsibility for many different reasons. We actually convince ourselves that we are being honest and truthful when in actuality we are desperately trying to get out of, avoid, defend, and justify our negative thoughts and behaviors.

When you are finished reading over the following 40 thinking errors:

            1. List all of the most common ones you use.

            2. Break them down into your top ten and list them on the pages provided.

            3. Then write a personal example of how you use it and two ways that you can change this thought pattern.

1.  Anger:

This anger is not real. Rather it is used to control and manipulate others. When confronted, outrage, anger, etc., are expressed to divert attention to that instead of the original behavior.

Example:  Tantrums, aggression, retaliation and blaming.

Payoff:  The anger instead of the behavior takes center stage. The behavior that you did does not get addressed.

Consequence:  You alienate people from wanting to be near you because they don’t want to deal with you.

2.  Avoidance:

This is the belief that it is easier to avoid life’s difficulties than to deal with them. Avoidance is a way out of your obligations without having to say you will not be responsible for these things. Procrastination is a form of avoidance.

Example:  I’m going to make those calls as soon as I finish organizing my desk.

Payoff:  You do not have to take responsibility for being irresponsible.

Consequence:  You are irresponsible. People lose trust in you.

3.  Awfulizing:

This is the belief that it is unbearable when things do not go as you want them to. Anything that takes effort is awful. If something is awful you have the right to not bear it and to act out in any way that you want.

Example:  I’m unhappy with the way the schedule goes each day and let everyone know, including patients.

Payoff: You do not have to deal with anything that you label as awful. You do not have to be uncomfortable.

Consequences:  People avoid you because you complain so much.

4.  Binocular Trick:

You magnify or exaggerate the importance of positive qualities or events connected to other people and minimize your own attributes and/or achievements. You may do this for one of two reasons:

1.  To reinforce your internalized shame

2.  To awfulize your circumstances so that you can play the victim.

Example:  I really want to go to hygiene school, but I really can’t afford it.

Payoff:  You provide evidence to reinforce your descent into victim stance.

5.  Closed Channel:

One of the key tactics you employ to avoid change. An open channel is essential to good communication. Open channels have three components:

1) Self-disclosure                    2) Receptivity to feedback                 3) Self-criticism

Example:  Given your uniqueness you do not have to listen to what those “lesser” people have to say. You are perfect and any mistakes you make are really someone else’s fault.

Payoff:  You can keep doing what you want to.

6.  Denial:

A defense mechanism which we use to protect us from painful aspects of ourselves, others, and/or reality. Denial can be conscious or unconscious.

Example:  I didn’t forget to file the x-rays. I gave them to someone else to take care of.

Payoff:  You do not have to come to terms with things you do not like since they do not exist. You do not have to solve problems.

Consequence:  Molehills turn into mountains.

7.  Drama/Excitement:

The person using this thinking error will often describe things in a way to build them up in order to sound powerful or “cool” to others.

Payoff:  Attention, control.

Consequence:  You end up living in a fantasy world.

8.  Emotional Reasoning:

You assume that your negative emotions reflect the way things really are.

Example:  I feel that Mrs. Jones doesn’t like me working with her.  (I feel, therefore, it must be true.)

Payoff:  You do not have to think things through or look at the possibility that your feelings may be based on inaccurate information.

Consequence:  You make a lot of bad decisions, which are based on false information.

9.  Entitlement:

Since you have suffered you are entitled to be paid back by life. Everything should be easy for you.

Example:  You can’t believe it when the doctor gave you a written warning for being late; after all he/she knew you have an old car that breaks down often.

Payoff:  You are not obligated to anyone other than yourself.

Consequence:  Your selfish behavior alienates others.

10.  Externalization:

The belief that external events cause all human suffering and that you must control all events before your life can be better.  Your moods are controlled by other people’s actions and external events.

Example:  You are depressed because it is raining.

Payoff:  You are a victim of circumstance and until circumstances change, you do not have to do anything to help yourself.

Consequence:  You never change.  You do not see yourself as having any control over your life.

If you would like more information, please contact us at info.saltdpm.com

Join us on facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SaltDentalPracticeManagement.

This is an original lesson by Salt Dental Practice Management