Don't forget about what got better
Negativity bias is the tendency to focus on only those things that aren't working, rather than focusing on what has improved. I've observed that during a switch from one AMS to another, frequently staff will fall into this trap. The result can be as simple as spending too much time on trying to fix something that isn't that important, to the extreme of staff believing the entire implementation has failed.
True story: I once had an executive director tell me an AMS implementation I was assisting with was a "complete failure" (her words) because we had gone live with one piece of functionality still not working. In her mind, this proved the project had failed, even though everything else had launched properly and they had seen many significant improvements over the old system. (The punchline is that not only was the functionality fixed within weeks, but that "failed" system has been used by the association for over 12 years now!)
So our job is to make sure we communicate the successes that any given project has achieved, as frequently as possible. Humans have a tendency to focus on the negative and flat out forget the positives. So we have to help them re-focus by reminding them of everything that has improved.
![]()
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Should you chug or sip?
Should you chug or sip? I was recently meeting with two staff at a client […]
Why bother with a consultant when I have AI?
Why bother with a consultant when I have AI? As AI becomes increasingly powerful, the […]
Guardrails can be helpful!
Guardrails can be helpful! When selecting a new AMS, I find my clients are often […]
“If you knew this information, what might you do differently?”
“If you knew this information, what might you do differently?” I had a conversation with […]
Showing is not teaching
Showing is not teaching In my experience, when new staff members are taught how to […]
Data management is improvisation
Data management is improvisation I was listening to a podcast recently featuring TV writer Rob […]
Who own the AMS company is like the weather…
Who own the AMS company is like the weather… When I work with clients to […]
“As good or better than me.”
“As good or better than me.” I was recently speaking with a software developer working […]
Documentation is insurance
Documentation is insurance In a conversation with a client about their data management needs, the client […]
It all comes down to fundamentals
It all comes down to fundamentals I’m preparing for a webinar that I’m presenting in […]
