I was just realizing that every time I see a bell curve, I assume I'm in the best category- which of course, is not true. I don't have an amazing vertical leap or wingspan. But that's probably the only category. Ok, well actually if I go inside a building and turn twice, I come out and go the wrong direction. So I REALLY need my Google Map to navigate.
Anyhow, that's the power of ego, so I thought I'd jokify a bell curve to demonstrate the power of ego.
It's probably what keeps us going every day, since we don't win every day- and we have to keep going, right? It's called "Illusory Superiority". It's also call "optimism bias" and it keeps us from getting better if we actually suck. And I'll bet companies have it too.
- In a survey of faculty at the University of Nebraska, 68% rated themselves in the top 25% for teaching ability. That means that every top teacher has to deal with two other teachers who think they're as good or better than they are.
- In a similar survey, 87% of MBA students at Stanford University rated their academic performance as above the median. That means more than one-third of MBA students were deluded about their ability.
- In ratings of leadership ability, 70% of the students put themselves above the median. In ability to get on well with others, 85% put themselves above the median, and 25% rated themselves in the top 1%.
- For driving skill, 93% of the US sample and 69% of the Swedish sample put themselves in the top 50% (above the median).
