Matchers and Mismatchers

Sometime during the 90s, I listened to an audio program that explained the differences between matchers and mismatchers.Matchers are “yes, and” people who see the upsides of an idea more prominently than the downsides. If you share a new idea with them, they’ll see how the idea could work and may offer suggestions for what else you could do to make it even better.Mismatchers are “wait, but” people who see the downsides of an idea more prominently than the upsides. If you share a new idea with them, they see what could go wrong and may point out the risks and drawbacks.I’m a matcher. I find it easy to feel optimistic and enthusiastic about a new idea, often thinking about what could go right before I think about what could go wrong.I’d say that my Mom is a mismatcher. When I’d share my youthful ideas with her, she’d often express skepticism and might point to some of the risks. I think that’s because she herself was raised by parents who lived through the Great Depression and learned the dangers of excessive optimism.Incubating IdeasAnother lesson I learned from that same audio program was that it’s wise to involve matchers in the early phases of developing an idea. A group of matchers working together will raise the level of excitement and enthusiasm. They’ll help to develop the overall vision. They’ll see the best possible outcomes.If, however, you bring one or more mismatchers into the early devel...
Source: Steve Pavlina's Personal Development Blog - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Productivity Source Type: blogs