(How Perception Supports Illusion)

We humans are meaning-making creatures. We don’t just see—we interpret. We don’t just hear—we conclude.

And many times, we do these things quickly.

Small things get us started: a comment in a meeting, a response that didn’t come as quickly as we expected, a tone of voice, a look, or a behavior we didn’t expect.

From the slenderest thread, and in the absence of further communication, we weave our own Bayeux tapestry-sized story—I know what’s going on here.

And often, it feels like we do know.

Except that perception is not the same as reality—it’s a construction. Sometimes it’s a useful one, but more often it’s one that’s limiting.

This shows up in subtle but powerful ways when we’re working in a team environment:

• We assume others’ intent from their behavior

• We fill gaps in communication with our own narratives

• We react to what we believe, not necessarily to what actually happened

The illusion isn’t our perception; it’s that we believe our perception is reality. And if we stop there, lots of times, it becomes so. You recognize this phenomenon; it’s the old “self-fulfilling prophecy” thing.

At CCLA, we use “Just because it quacks like a duck…” as our shorthand for stopping ourselves long enough to consider the possibility that maybe—just maybe—we haven’t fully understood what we’re seeing or hearing.

“Just because it quacks like a duck…” is a particularly useful lens through which to view leadership. That’s why it appears front and center on our homepage.

Understanding leadership isn’t about being the quickest to a conclusion—the smartest person in the room. It’s about staying curious about what you’re experiencing a bit longer than feels natural.

This tiny behavior can change everything.

Instead of assuming you have a crystal-clear understanding of something, what about asking yourself a couple of questions instead:

What might I be missing?
What else could explain what I’m seeing?

Because the moment we move from certainty to inquiry, perception stops reinforcing illusion—and starts becoming a path toward shared understanding.

And in teams, that shift can change not just how we think—but how we show up, who we invest in, and what becomes possible.

And maybe that’s the real work. Catching ourselves in the moment when something feels obvious… and pausing long enough to ask if it actually is.

Not to second-guess everything. But to stay open just a little longer than we normally would.

You might try it out today when something feels obvious—simply asking yourself:

What might I be missing?

Just Because It Quacks Like a Duck…

“I Am!—Somebody!”