As never before we live in a world where we are inundated with information. With IoT and all the ubiquitous connected devices at every turn it is like drinking from the proverbial firehose. Most would agree that too much is just too much. We have a challenge in the sheer quantity of information but, more importantly, a concern about the quality of information. For each of us it begs the question as to what is true or false and fundamentally real. Added to these concerns is the time invested in hearing what some may consider noise and then listening for any relevance that might be meaningful. It is no surprise that out of self-defense most of us have retreated into our own version of an “information bubble”. Think of this as a retreat for many because this space tends to be more comfortable, less challenging, and provides some degree of a filtering out of the noise. The response to this overload is the need to put a governor on the shear amount of input that permeates our “bubble.” This all requires an assessment of the information quality we allow in. A personal fact check if you will. The process usually begins with general information and then focuses on additional information which appears meaningful to us personally and/or professionally. This brings forth the fear of missing out (FOMO) on something that is or should be meaningful to us and we should be paying attention to. It begs the question did we miss something or didn’t pay enough attention to it?

The biggest problem we encounter with living in a protective “information bubble” is akin to putting blinders on a racehorse. You see only what is in front of you. The tendency is to turn a blind eye and deaf ear and only pay attention to that which resides inside your field of vision or permeates your “bubble”. The formal name applied by social scientists to this phenomena is living and/or working in an echo chamber. It refers to an environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, so that their existing views are reinforced, and alternative ideas are not considered.

Experts tell us that increasingly “people are living in partisan and ideological echo chambers and rarely reconsider their opinions/ideas/beliefs. They are not consuming information or opinions that make them uncomfortable.” Suffice it to say that this certainly has serious social implications but there is an equally daunting business side to this as well. I want to address echo chambers from the business perspective since it can negatively affect so many companies and employees.

The term itself was originally coined as a figurative description of what happens when an individual or group´s belief systems were reinforced and buttressed by continued communication and repetition within a closed system. It was discovered early on that one of the biggest dangers of echo chambers writ large is that they tend to lead to a constraint or lack of original thoughts, dissenting opinions, and challenging ideas. Another problem from a business perspective is that echo chambers within an organization can limit a company’s ability to effectively see and agree on problems and respond to the exact issues that they need to address. The requirement for constant affirmation and the attempts at controlling beliefs that occurs within an echo chamber tend to result in division and polarization either overt or covert. The end result is a lack of the social capital that is necessary to work together on shared problems and common issues. In other words, it can negatively affect the overall business health and in the process put a damper on the company culture. The challenge is in getting some to understand that this is what is happening and then doing something to address the negatives.

Most companies begin “life” with some form of a mission statement that is intended to be their “north star” and set of guiding principles. Simon Sinek in his book Start with Why famously speaks of the “Why, What and How” of business. Sinek says the mission statement is the “Why” and the “What and How” follows suit with products and operations. There is ample proof that healthy companies subscribe to the Why, What and How structure and they seek employes who are on board with that. Some will claim this is an echo chamber in itself and a “good thing” and certainly, singing the same tune under a unified banner can be good. But as Sinek points out many companies lose sight of their “Why” and take their eye off the ball and this loss of focus trickles down to the “What and How”. All too often this results in a company internally falling apart and retreating further into a self-imposed echo chamber and blindly relying on an unchartered course that may or may not be best for the company and the culture.

After decades of conducting market and business SWOT analysis for companies large and small, I can attest firsthand to what Sinek preaches and the concerns he warns us about. I compiled a list of real-world issues I have validated in my own work over the years. The following are questions to be asked and the answers to which will point to whether a company may fit the definition of an echo chamber. To paraphrase a famous southern born and bred comedian Jeff Foxworthy, “You might be in an echo chamber if…”
Does the company?

• Exhibit tunnel vision and drink the company Kool-Aid to the exclusion of unbiased information
• Turn a blind eye both internally and externally to what is otherwise quite clear
• Understand the market from the market participants’ perspective. Them not you…
• Have an us against them mentality both externally and internally
• Welcome or consider opinions, alternatives, and original thinking
• Conduct a formal competitive analysis and really know the competition not just “know of” them
• Lack management structure and accountability at all levels
• Lack a formalized strategy and plan in each area with achievable milestones and metrics
• Engage in finger pointing
• Accept a “not my job” attitude from management and employees
• Employ and promote good teamwork
• Show staff recognition and cultivate the company culture

Look at the afore-mentioned list and ask yourself if you or your company are in an echo chamber situation and what impact this has. Falling victim to a few of the items is not in itself a cause for concern but if most of these apply then be forewarned that his can have negative results for all involved.

Now comes the hard part. As so many self-help programs preach it begins with admitting there is a problem. Hopefully our “list” has helped. Once this is confronted, evaluated, and agreed upon the relatively easy part is addressing the issues and doing something about them. Put them into a plan and prioritize those with the most to least negative impact. Before you know it (again relatively speaking) you will be back on course with a heathy company and happy teammates. Keep in mind that missteps and mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to those errors that counts. This is how you and your company will be judged.