All of us are attached to particular views of the world and given ways of approaching it.
We know that a project is pointless and we have no time for those who think otherwise. We know that a favored employee is a gem, regardless of performance reviews suggesting the contrary.
We have our positions and, regardless of circumstances, we are committed to them. We are convinced. We are sure.
Attachment can be a dangerous concept, but is especially treacherous for leaders. When we become attached to a certain idea, situation, or action, we care less about what is true, right, and useful than what will vindicate the position we have become attached to.
Having invested ourselves in a particular point of view, we advocate it not because of its merits but simply because it is ours. It has become an extension of ourselves, and in allowing this to happen, we place ourselves in a position where our personal stature will be diminished if our chosen view is discarded or discredited.
Moreover, this personal investment strongly inclines us to defend the position we have chosen to the bitter end—a situation that becomes a recipe for disaster when parties become attached to opposing sides of the same issue.
Though common in the workplace, this polarized, win/lose kind of construct is both counterproductive and, in the final analysis, artificial. It is created by our own minds and can be dissolved (or at least avoided) in the same way.
Detachment is what allows us to escape from this trap. When we are detached from an issue, we have a stake not in any particular side or philosophy, but rather in finding the best possible outcome.
We are left free to explore facts and evaluate options with an unbiased mind. We are free to adjust our thinking as circumstances change and new facts come to light. We are free to consider our positions with objectivity and independence, rather than being locked into positions rendered inflexible by personal attachments.
For leaders, detachment is freedom.