Self-serving bias is the tendency for people to attribute their own successes to internal factors, such as their abilities or efforts, while attributing their failures to external factors, such as bad luck or other people's actions. This bias is often seen in business, where people may be more likely to take credit for their successes while blaming external factors for their failures.
Here are five examples of self-serving bias in business:
- A salesperson attributes their high sales numbers to their own hard work and dedication while blaming poor sales on the economy or their customers' lack of interest.
- A manager attributes their team's success to their own leadership skills while blaming the team's failures on their employees' lack of effort or ability.
- A company attributes its profitability to its own products and services while blaming its losses on external factors such as competition or market conditions.
- An entrepreneur attributes their startup's success to their own hard work and ingenuity while blaming its failures on a lack of funding or support from investors.
- A team member attributes their own success on a project to their own efforts and contributions while blaming the project's failures on their teammates or the project manager.
To overcome the self-serving bias, it can be helpful to use strategies such as:
- Seeking feedback from others: This can help provide a more balanced perspective on your own performance and contributions and can help you identify areas for improvement.
- Reflecting on your own behavior: Take time to consider whether you are attributing your successes and failures in a balanced and accurate way. Are you taking too much credit for your successes and blaming others for your failures?
- Being open to criticism: When others offer feedback or criticism, try to listen and consider it carefully, even if it is uncomfortable or difficult to hear. This can help you to see yourself and your performance more objectively.