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How the Spotlight Effect Puffs Up Your Office Mistakes
Description
In Episode 149 of The Office Politics Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the spotlight effect: the cognitive bias that makes us believe our mistakes and awkward moments are far more visible to colleagues than they really are. They dig into the research, including Thomas Gilovich's famous 'embarrassing T-shirt' study, and explain why that botched presentation or awkward Zoom comment isn't as memorable as you think. They discuss how the spotlight effect fuels office anxiety, why it makes us over-apologize and over-explain, and practical strategies to shrink your perceived audience, from reframing self-talk to 'spotlight audits' after meetings. They also tie it to related biases like the illusory correlation and the audience effect, and share how to build resilience when the spotlight feels too bright. Perfect for anyone who's ever replayed a work blunder on a loop and wanted to disappear into the floorboards.