Art Markman, a Professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin, dives into the fascinating world of metacognition and knowledge gaps. He discusses how we often overestimate our expertise, underscoring the Dunning-Kruger effect. Markman emphasizes the immense value of mentorship and peer relationships, advocating for organic connections over traditional programs. He also draws parallels between jazz and networking, illustrating the importance of adaptability and learning from mistakes in career advancement.
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insights INSIGHT
Metacognition
Metacognition, thinking about thinking, helps us assess our knowledge.
It lets us realize our lack of knowledge, which motivates learning.
insights INSIGHT
Dunning-Kruger Effect
The Dunning-Kruger effect describes overconfidence when lacking knowledge.
The less you know, the less you grasp true expertise, leading to inflated self-assessment.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Navigating New Situations
Approach new situations with humility, assuming you're not the most knowledgeable.
Actively listen for signals indicating knowledge gaps to guide learning.
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Art Markman: Bring Your Brain to Work
Art Markman is the Annabel Irion Worsham Centennial Professor Centennial Professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also the Founding Director of the Program in the Human Dimensions of Organizations, which brings the humanities and the social behavioral sciences to people in business.
Along with Bob Duke, Art hosts the radio show Two Guys on Your Head for KUT Radio in Austin, also available as a podcast. He’s the author of many books, most recently: Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career*.
In this conversation, Art and I explore the science behind what we know and how we can both better recognize what we don’t know and increase our knowledge in that area. Research shows that others are one of our best sources of knowledge and we discuss how to make intentional connections through mentoring to accomplish this.
Key Points
Metacognition is the awareness of one’s own knowledge.
The Dunning-Kruger explains how sometimes feels like we know more about something than we actually do.
The success of expert generalists demonstrates the value of leveraging connections with others in the organization and industry.
The most powerful source of knowledge is the people around you.
Traditional mentoring programs aren’t ideal since they are inorganic.
Seek these five kinds of people when building a team that can mentor you: coach, superstar, connector, librarian, and teammate.
Resources Mentioned
Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career* by Art Markman
Book Notes
Download my highlights from Bring Your Brain to Work in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Find a Mentor (episode 105)
How to Grow Your Professional Network, with Tom Henschel (episode 279)
What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)
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