Over the last 5 years, I’ve talked ad nauseam about the importance of learning business. I still think it's very important, but I haven't really talked about the hidden downside of doing so.
The more I learned about business, the more I saw how many people make decisions without using business fundamentals. And, once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it. I could not go back.
I had built up this story in my head that if I could just apply some business skills to my work, we'd be able to move forward. But when I saw how many people weren't using business basics to make decisions, it was a gut punch.
I saw MBAs who weren't "MBA'ing," executives who ignored signals showing them their beliefs weren't working, and peers who allowed their emotions to drive their decision-making processes. In my experience, this has been especially true in times of crisis urgency.
Suddenly, I realized the challenge I faced so many times was not to speak the language of business. I had to get good at assessing how business was being done, whether via business fundamentals or through emotion.
For the most part, this behavior has not been intentional or manipulative. The reality for me has been that all decisions are informed by emotion. It doesn't matter what their title is or whether or not they have an MBA… no one is exempt.
While that seems like a bummer, I've learned there is an upside too. Learning business has allowed me to know whether I have a rational or relational problem to solve. This is important to me because what I know to be true is this: Design is a catalyst for business, but no matter how good the design is, it's forever aligned with how good the business decision ahead of it is.
It's often been the case I've had to coach someone to do their job more effectively so that I could do mine. More often than not, when trying to ensure good business decisions are being made, my research and inquiry skills have proven to be just as valuable as my analytical or statistical skills.
