Aspies aren’t known for our ability to live in the grey area of life. We’re very much in one camp or the other when it comes to behaviors, opinions, and beliefs.
Naturally, this results in a lot of problems because life isn’t black or white, and if you’re told that what you’re doing isn’t okay, doing the exact opposite probably won’t work out too well either.
I spent most of my career oscillating between socializing too much in the workplace and being antisocial. Usually, what would happen is if I were too social at one company, I would overcorrect at my new company by doing the opposite.
🤔 A coworker once told me, “You know, it’s kinda weird that when someone jokes with you, you never joke back. That’s what people usually do.” However, at my previous job, my manager told me to be more professional.
I never had a sense of how to find the right balance.
Now, when I coach people, I see them struggle with the same concept. However, instead of it being too social versus antisocial, it’s usually:
• Micromanagement Vs. Completely Hands-Off
• No Communication Vs. Endless Meetings
• Zero Innovation Vs. Constant Change
👉 Just because something is broken doesn’t mean its opposite is the solution. Reactionary leadership leads to new problems disguised as solutions.
Real change requires balanced thinking, not just rejecting what didn’t work before.
What’s a time you saw an overcorrection do more harm than good?
References: Watzlawick P, Weakland JH, Fisch R. Change: Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution. WW Norton & Company; 1974.
The Issue With Overcorrecting
