Stop Learning the Hard Way! How Your Bottom-Up Processors are Your Canaries in the Coal Mine

This article is about the familiar story of learning things the hard way, top-down versus bottom-up processing, and how your detail-oriented people can help you prevent catastrophe—and a secret ingredient that helps everyone.

The Hard Way

How many of us have said:

“I wish I didn’t have to always learn things the hard way.”

Out loud. In our quiet moments to ourselves. Only after being backed into a corner about a decision you put off for too long.

Whatever the scenario, most of us have said this phrase.

But, when this becomes a pattern, you’re letting it happen.

Maybe you like playing the victim. Maybe you’ve been trained to ignore your gut. Maybe you’re listening to your gut, but you have poor gut health.

Learning things the hard way is the result of an unwillingness to accept reality.

Obviously, not all hard lessons are a direct result of not accepting reality, but it happens more than we want to admit. What do I mean by this?

You think you know best. You’ve got the most experience in the room. You think you’re the smartest. You don’t trust the person telling you. You’ve decided preemptively someone isn’t credible. You believe you must do everything yourself.

Did any of those sentences resonate? Was there a phrase you’re glad I didn’t say?

Whatever the phrase is that stepped on your toes, it’s there where you must look at yourself and have a hard conversation around what’s holding you back.

This is the reality you’re ignoring that’s causing you to learn things the hard way.

Let’s apply the hard way from a common business perspective: The C-suite versus The Frontline.

The C-suite prides itself on keeping the business moving in the right direction. They’re focused on “The Big Picture.” They have lofty goals and measurements that need to be hit to make sure The Big Picture is executed. But what does The Frontline have to say about your ideas? “That won’t work because of [specific, ‘small picture’ details].” The C-suite dismisses their insight as obstructionist. “They’re missing the forest for the trees, are change resistant, and,” often said in a self-congratulatory way, “this is something that’s above their pay grade. They’re missing the point.”

But what happens when the C-suite tries the slam-dunk approach and changes something without considering the details?

Usually, the change fails due to “unforeseen” circumstances. Except, most people can observe these situations and point out: The Frontline accurately warned of the impending failure.

So, what causes this disconnect when we’re in it? Why must we learn things the hard way?

Top-Down versus Bottom-Up Processing

Top-down processors need to see the big picture first. Many people understand new concepts and process information in a “top-down” fashion. They must first understand, “Here’s the big goal we’re trying to achieve.” And then, over time, they gradually understand the steps that are necessary to achieve the goal. The longer they dive into the big picture, the more details they uncover.

It’s here where many C-suites and leaders find themselves. They like the big picture. Details feel “icky” (technical term) to them. They love “moving things forward” and leaving the details to those who enjoy them.

The downside of Top-Down only thinking is tricking yourself into believing, “Because I understand the big picture, the details don’t matter.”

“Bottom-up processors are the inverse, then,” is what many top-down processors think. And this is where they’re wrong.

Bottom-up processors tend to see the details first, and then, when the details are put together, have a better understanding of the big picture. That is not the same, however, as saying bottom-up processors “can’t see the big picture.” Many bottom-up processors also start by seeing the big picture. What they don’t do is accept the big picture as possible until the details are understood. “I understand you want to go from here to there, but how will it be possible with these known obstacles and roadblocks?” The downside of this approach is that bottom-up processors can dismiss ideas because they don’t yet understand all the details but think that they do.

If you’re a leader who is a bottom-up processor, this may be your Achilles Heel!

The contrast in how top-down and bottom-up processors understand things is often where friction occurs between The C-suite and The Frontline.

And I get it. There are advantages to painting a big picture of where you want to go without knowing the details. It’s how many great things were accomplished.

Treating necessary business functions as “big picture” items with no understanding of the details, however, is where businesses handicap themselves.

“We’ll figure out how to process that information later,” an executive might say, knowing they have ‘people’ who will figure out the details for them. “There goes my afternoon and the chance to see my kid’s baseball game,” the ‘people’ in questions say to themselves when the work gets dumped on their plate.

It’s this frustration from the bottom-up processors that causes many issues in your business. It’s ignoring these people that causes you to learn things the hard way.

So, what can we do?

Prevent Catastrophe

To prevent catastrophe, top-down processors must listen to the bottom-up processors who have worked their way to the big picture.

Bottom-up processors must listen to top-down processors for direction and new ideas.

Let’s unpack this.

The top-down processor starts with the big picture. They haven’t worked out the details. And, at this point to the top-down processor, the details aren’t important.

The bottom-up processor also starts with the big picture. They then take the time to understand the details and then arrive back at the big picture.

Bottom-up processors who understand the big picture are at the end of their comprehension journey. This puts them ahead of the top-down processors who are at the beginning of their journey.

This is why your bottom-up processors are your canaries in the coal mine. They’re your advanced scouts. If you want to prevent catastrophe and stay ahead of the curve—listen to those who scout ahead and let you know the quality of your business plans.

If top-down processors refuse to accept this alternate way of thinking as a possibility, they avoid reality by viewing the bottom-up processors as a nay-sayer. They dismiss (valid) feedback as criticism, move forward with a faulty plan, and 3-6 months (or years) down the road, the plan fails.

The top-down processor again laments, “I wish I didn’t always have to learn things the hard way.”

Please note: This applies to situations where bottom-up processors have arrived back at the big picture. In the idea phase, when no one has had time to connect the details, it’s important to be creative and entertain ideas that don’t have everything worked out. But when your detail-oriented fortune-tellers warn, “This won’t work!” and have receipts to prove it won’t, listen to them.

 Now, let’s look at the inverse.

Bottom-up processors can get stuck in the routine. It’s comfortable, and perhaps more importantly, understood. Change is constant, especially in business. If you haven’t changed your ways in a while, you’re likely being left behind.

Top-down processors who listen to feedback are the best companions to bottom-up processors.

If your top-down processors ask the impossible of you, wait patiently for your feedback, and pivot when you provide necessary feedback—cherish those leaders. Their ability to pivot and adjust is what makes those leaders the best visionaries you could work for.

For the bottom-up processors who are leaders: these concepts apply in reverse. You might be holding back your team or your company because the top-down processors working under you don’t have the same details as you.

It is imperative for the bottom-up processor leaders to stay open-minded to new ideas.

I’ve watched far too many good ideas be squashed out of the gate because of the assumptions made by “know-it-all” leaders. They assume that because they know the details of one path, they know the details of all paths. Bottom-up processor leaders must be vigilant to remain open to new ideas. They can be especially difficult to accept if the person sharing the new idea is a bottom-up processor, too. If a bottom-up processor has discovered a new idea, it implies they are smarter than you. If your ego perceives this as a threat, you may very well be handicapping your business to save your ego!

The Secret Ingredient

State your limitations so that they can be known—and overcome.

I worked with a developer who was very different than me. He didn’t leave good notes, didn’t understand the big picture, was quick to call things “done”—and was one of the best colleagues I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.

When roadblocks, problems, or improvements came up, he would ask, “Why do we do it this way?” And I, being a detail guy, would list all the reasons why.

50% of the time he would say, “Oh. That makes sense. Yeah, I don’t think we can change anything. Bummer.”

But the other 50% of the time, he would say, “Sure, but you could do it this other way. It solves all the problems you mentioned and has all these benefits we aren’t realizing. Why didn’t we do it this way?”

And, with humility and excitement, I’d respond, “Because I wasn’t smart enough to think of that. Let’s do it!”

Have the courage to explain your reasons behind your business decisions and the humility to accept better ideas.

If you do these things, you’ll put out so many fires before they ever become sparks.

These ‘secrets’ are part of what you’ll learn through The Healthy Company Framework course. We’d love to help you and your company create stronger connections.

Ignoring the canary in the coal may be sucking the oxygen out of your company. Learn how to listen to those in tune with the details!