Pragmatic means “having practical consequences” – people who are pragmatic focus on the results of their actions and decisions. They are able to weigh up the pros and cons of each option, and decide what’s most useful for their circumstances. They are willing to compromise, knowing that if they want something they might have to give a little in order to get it. They are also realistic, and understand that some things are out of their control – but they can try to manufacture positive outcomes in their favour.
Often pragmatic people are more successful than others, as they make good use of their resources and actively work to make the best of their situation. They can see the potential benefits of doing a task and are not afraid to take calculated risks, which could potentially lead to great rewards. This pragmatism can also help them overcome setbacks and challenges, as they are not afraid to try again or to work around obstacles.
Pragmatism is also a key concept in many business theories and models. For example, the Theory of Constraints is a pragmatic approach to management, based on the idea that constraints on an organization’s performance are a necessary component of its success. This is in contrast to more idealistic theories of organization, which focus on developing an abstract vision of how an organization should be structured and managed.
There are many different approaches to pragmatics, with some focusing on the way language is used in context, for instance using ambiguity to your advantage. Other pragmatics look at the wider implications of communication – such as how people interpret and respond to messages.
A classic example of pragmatics is how sailors in the early days of navigation worked out that stars travelled in loops around the sky, and could plot their position by looking up at the night sky. This allowed them to navigate the oceans, whereas previously they had no reliable way of knowing where they were.
Applied pragmatics is also a core principle in qualitative research, as it puts an emphasis on actionable knowledge and recognizes that the inquiry process itself is an experiential process. This is important, as it provides a useful guiding epistemological framework for researching organizational processes.
It can be difficult to learn to become more pragmatic, as it requires a certain amount of faith that you will know what is the right thing to do in any given situation. However, there are ways to develop your pragmatic skills, such as practicing on smaller, less complex decision-making tasks at first, before applying it to larger, more important ones. The more you practice, the better your pragmatic skills will become. As a result, you will be more confident in the choices you make. This will also allow you to be more creative, as you can try out new ideas and approaches without worrying that they might not work. This will also help you to avoid the trap of getting caught up in a spiral of analysis paralysis, as you are more likely to act quickly.