# Analysts as Modern Cassandras By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-11-25 In Greek mythology, the Trojan priestess Cassandra was graced with the gift of true prophecy but was cursed to never be believed. Imagine the torment of Cassandra. All her attempts to warn go unheeded and all she can do is watch as her prophecy is fulfilled to the detriment of those she had warned. Unlike Cassandra, the forecasts made by analysts are not always accurate. Like Cassandra, many of the direst predictions made by analysts are ignored. For this reason, analysts might be viewed as modern Cassandras. When catastrophic failures occur, [[assessments]] are frequently conducted to understand the situation. In the corresponding reports, there is often a description of a small group of concerned workers who assessed the situation and warned decision-makers of the danger. When this occurs one of two things typically happens depending on the degree of power resident within the analytic group. If the people raising the concern have little power, their concern is simply marginalized and ignored. If they have more power, those in control attempt to coerce those offering the assessment to “get with the program,” and reduce their assessment of the threat. Often when organizational tragedies hit, some warnings went unheeded. There are no easy answers here. Progress entails some degree of risk. Those responsible for results attempt to weigh the probability and [[Consequences]] of actions and inactions. Prior successful gambles inflate one’s confidence in being able to make the “right call.” The problem is that such an approach works well until it doesn’t work at all. And when it doesn’t work the effect can be significant. Analysts too have tough decisions to make, especially when they could officially prevent the decision to move forward. Balancing the pressure of ethical/professional obligations with being welcomed as a “team player” is not easy. It can be a source of tremendous stress and conflict. As sad as it is to say, people are all simply doing their best to confront complex situations with a multitude of different motivations. In some respects, it is truly amazing things work as well as they do. Analysts have a “gift” of constrained prophesy. Like Cassandra, the predictions of analysts often go unheeded. There is little to be gained from analysts sitting back and saying, “I told you so,” if things go poorly. Humans make decisions in a volatile mix of hope, [[fear]], power, prestige, acceptance, esteem, and transcendence. The problems we face individually and collectively are complex. There are no easy answers. Analytic insights can pierce through the fog of this complexity. Whereas these insights might not always be heeded, organizations dismiss them like the prophecies of Cassandra at their peril. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Time]] [[Decision-making]] [[Philosophy and Analysis]] [[Predictive Analytics]] [[Organizational Analytics]] [[Management]]