Is Your Reality Clouded?

A friend of mine coaches high school soccer. His job is to put the best team on the field as possible, regardless.
When it comes to judging the talent of these high school athletes, can you guess who the worst judge of talent is? Their parents. According to my friend, the parents just can't see that junior can't run as fast or kick the ball as far as his other team members. And who can blame them. They are the parents. They love these kids unconditionally. They see things in their children others don't.
What is so ironic about this is that the parents are clueless. They really think Junior is the best player on the team. Saying anything to the contrary elicits anger. They really think they are looking at this in an unbiased fashion.
Keep this in mind when you are staffing your company and searching for the best team members. Maybe your kids aren't the best team members. Maybe you're not really seeing reality. This also goes for friends, Uncles, Cousins, that guy that saved your life back in the second grade, etc.
Be careful not to put yourself in a position to see a clouded reality. Don't say it won't be me. Yes, it will be you. Maybe there is no hope for soccer Moms and Dads, but if your job is to put the best team on the field for your company, this is something you can avoid. If you don't, you (and the other players on your team) may regret it later.
--Ron Ameln, SBM