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Add a Morpheus to Your Mix

by | May 31, 2021 | Entrepreneurship

A COREageous CEO listens to the good, bad and the ugly.

When passion takes hold and our vision becomes invincible, our mirror gets cloudy and we’re apt to act on murky and idealistic perceptions. It is comfortable to surround ourselves with people who share the same mirror, instead of those that come from a more realistic perspective.

Include people in your organization who will expose the weaknesses you may have denied or overlooked. As in the movie, The Matrix, the character Morpheus delivered the truth. Consider forming a small team of Morpheus’s that will help you see clearly. And will you listen?

In the highly recommended book, “The Art of the Start 2.0” the author, Guy Kawasaki, suggested having a Morpheus for each aspect of your business:

  • Research and development
  • Operations
  • Finance
  • Ethics

Kawasaki claims that a Morpheus is the yang to the CEO’s yin. The CEO decides “what” while the Morpheus identifies “what could go wrong?”

Could having a Morpheus on your team safeguard your venture?

Have trouble listening to the hard stuff that could save your startup? Listening is “my thing.” Contact me at Rebecca@MIndfulCommunication.com

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to improve critical thinking?

You will notice a difference in how you read within a week. Durable change in how you decide takes longer—think two to three months of daily practice. The skill is built the way physical conditioning is: short, consistent reps beat occasional long sessions.

What's the difference between critical thinking and decision-making?

Critical thinking is the quality of the reasoning; decision-making is the act of choosing. You can decide quickly and still decide well—but only if the thinking underneath has been disciplined first. Better critical thinking is what makes fast decisions safe.

Can AI do the critical thinking for me?

AI can summarize an argument, surface counterpoints, and speed up research. It cannot decide what matters to your business, notice when a conclusion is convenient, or own the outcome. As AI takes on more of the analysis, judgment becomes the part that’s distinctly yours—and the part worth training.

What counts as a "substantive" article?

Something that makes an argument rather than reporting a fact: an essay, an analysis piece, a research summary, a strong opinion column. Roughly 1,000 words or more, with a claim you could agree or disagree with. Listicles and news briefs give you nothing to analyze.

Ready to build this into how you actually run your business?

Sharper judgment is one of several executive function skills that compound over time. Explore Core Four executive function coaching to see how focus, connection, and judgment work together—or get in touch to talk about what your team needs.

Rebecca Z. Shafir, M.A., CCC-SLP, is an executive function coach and author of The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction. She works with entrepreneurs and professionals to strengthen the human skills that become increasingly important as AI takes on more of our cognitive work.

Rebecca’s CoreFour Coaching

“It takes more than courage to be an Entrepreneur, it takes CORE.” Find out more. 

Who is Rebecca Shafir? Speech/language pathologist, author, voice and executive function coach

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