My Weblog

Persuasion

The Brain Science of Persuasion:

7 Automatic Triggers 

People make two major mistakes when trying to persuade others:

1. Using the argument that would work best on themselves

2. Overestimating the power of logic and rationality

Instead of researching what makes people buy or make decisions, they ask themselves, “What would motivateme to participate in this program or buy this product?”

The fact is, persuasion can be defined, learned and successfully incorporated into anyone’s communication abilities. It doesn’t matter if you work in sales, marketing or another field directly related to persuasion. Every leader or manager depends on getting things done through others.

Getting Things Done Through Others

Your boss may give you specific powers, but execution and results come from successfully influencing others.

So, what does brain science tell us about the natural processes of decision-making and being influenced? 

• With the recent advent of real-time brain-imaging technology, we can now look at what happens inside the brain as we process information, make decisions and respond to others. 

Feelings First, Logic Later

Most of us try to persuade by using our best arguments, best data, logical flow charts and rationality to generate the thinking, decisions and actions we seek. Business leaders still believe everyone relies heavily on logic and reason to make decisions. We’ve traditionally believed that emotion wreaks havoc on rationality, especially in business.

As science evolves, we’re starting to realize that emotions come first. Not only do they guide our decisions and actions, but we’re incapable of making decisions without them.

We use the emotional parts of our brain to make rational decisions. Emotional context helps us make the best choices, often in a split second, long before the rational centers of the brain are even activated.

The Brain Science of Persuasive Powers

We respond to persuasive attempts either analytically or automatically.

Those who respond analytically use a reasoned evaluative approach to come to a decision, but  this requires enormous energy. The brain uses up reserves of glucose and calories whenever it evaluates. And because it’s human nature to conserve energy, most of us won’t respond with the extra effort required to be analytical. In fact, most people slip into automatic-response mode whenever possible. 

This doesn’t mean you can skip logical arguments, but it does place less emphasis on reason and more on emotion. When you understand that people want to make rapid, automatic and accelerated decisions, you can make it easier on those you’re trying to influence.

How do we generate automatic influence? With triggers. Everybody has them. A trigger is any stimulus that will help us make a non-thinking decision or action. A trigger activates a person’s immediate compliance with an attempt to influence. It’s simply a shortcut to avoid the pain and effort of mental activity.

Let’s examine the seven triggers that automatically influence others.

1. The Friendship Trigger

We are more easily influenced by people we like, and liking is a prerequisite for the other triggers. Friendship generates trust, and trust activates a strong internal trigger. Find connections and common interests, and listen to the people you wish to influence.

2. The Authority Trigger

We respond with unthinking, automatic compliance to those we believe have authority, credibility and power. Managers and leaders may think they have authority by virtue of their position, but without the likeability factor, this trigger is weakened. The authority trigger works because we assume the person in position of authority has done the evaluation work for us.

3. The Consistency Trigger

Our internal guidance system compels us to be consistent in the way we see ourselves and the peers we admire. We are slaves to consistency and conformity; in fact, these drives are hard-wired into our brain. When it’s time to make a decision, we call up an emotional memory that’s similar to the situation at hand, and we’re guided in the same direction.

4. The Reciprocity Trigger

Reciprocity is the well-documented psychological desire to give back to someone who has given us a gift. It’s another automatic response hard-wired into our brains. Marketers have been using bonus gifts and free samples for years. 

5. The Contrast Trigger

Framing a proposition so it appears more desirable than an alternative is a proven automatic compliance technique. Always present the most onerous approach first, followed by what you really want.

6. The Reason Why Trigger

When you present a valid reason to accept a proposition, you achieve compliance. 

7. The Hope Trigger

We are easily persuaded by those who understand our hopes, wishes and dreams. Once we perceive an opportunity to satisfy them, we seldom rely on cognitive thought or logic before we act. 

Six Steps to a Persuasive Presentation 

Here’s a proposed outline for framing a successful presentation that persuades others to act in the direction you desire:

1. Write down your persuasion goal, what you hope to accomplish, what you expect others to do and the ideal time frame.

2. List the questions you’ll ask your audience to determine their perceptions on the issue.

3. List each of the seven internal triggers. Under each one, list every possible item that could apply. Select and prioritize the three or four triggers best suited to the situation.

4. Frame your presentation with the beginning and ending that have the highest impact. The friendship trigger, coupled with the reciprocity trigger, is a great start. You’ll also want early application of the authority trigger.

5. The body of the proposal, including the logic and data, will follow the other trigger information. Minimal application of logic and data will reinforce a positive decision.

6. Finally, frame your closure by defining precisely what you want your audience to do, and determine how you will ask for this action.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

The Brain Science of Persuasion:

7 Automatic Triggers 

People make two major mistakes when trying to persuade others:

1. Using the argument that would work best on themselves

2. Overestimating the power of logic and rationality

Instead of researching what makes people buy or make decisions, they ask themselves, “What would motivateme to participate in this program or buy this product?”

The fact is, persuasion can be defined, learned and successfully incorporated into anyone’s communication abilities. It doesn’t matter if you work in sales, marketing or another field directly related to persuasion. Every leader or manager depends on getting things done through others.

Getting Things Done Through Others

Your boss may give you specific powers, but execution and results come from successfully influencing others.

So, what does brain science tell us about the natural processes of decision-making and being influenced? 

• With the recent advent of real-time brain-imaging technology, we can now look at what happens inside the brain as we process information, make decisions and respond to others. 

Feelings First, Logic Later

Most of us try to persuade by using our best arguments, best data, logical flow charts and rationality to generate the thinking, decisions and actions we seek. Business leaders still believe everyone relies heavily on logic and reason to make decisions. We’ve traditionally believed that emotion wreaks havoc on rationality, especially in business.

As science evolves, we’re starting to realize that emotions come first. Not only do they guide our decisions and actions, but we’re incapable of making decisions without them.

We use the emotional parts of our brain to make rational decisions. Emotional context helps us make the best choices, often in a split second, long before the rational centers of the brain are even activated.

The Brain Science of Persuasive Powers

We respond to persuasive attempts either analytically or automatically.

Those who respond analytically use a reasoned evaluative approach to come to a decision, but  this requires enormous energy. The brain uses up reserves of glucose and calories whenever it evaluates. And because it’s human nature to conserve energy, most of us won’t respond with the extra effort required to be analytical. In fact, most people slip into automatic-response mode whenever possible. 

This doesn’t mean you can skip logical arguments, but it does place less emphasis on reason and more on emotion. When you understand that people want to make rapid, automatic and accelerated decisions, you can make it easier on those you’re trying to influence.

How do we generate automatic influence? With triggers. Everybody has them. A trigger is any stimulus that will help us make a non-thinking decision or action. A trigger activates a person’s immediate compliance with an attempt to influence. It’s simply a shortcut to avoid the pain and effort of mental activity.

Let’s examine the seven triggers that automatically influence others.

1. The Friendship Trigger

We are more easily influenced by people we like, and liking is a prerequisite for the other triggers. Friendship generates trust, and trust activates a strong internal trigger. Find connections and common interests, and listen to the people you wish to influence.

2. The Authority Trigger

We respond with unthinking, automatic compliance to those we believe have authority, credibility and power. Managers and leaders may think they have authority by virtue of their position, but without the likeability factor, this trigger is weakened. The authority trigger works because we assume the person in position of authority has done the evaluation work for us.

3. The Consistency Trigger

Our internal guidance system compels us to be consistent in the way we see ourselves and the peers we admire. We are slaves to consistency and conformity; in fact, these drives are hard-wired into our brain. When it’s time to make a decision, we call up an emotional memory that’s similar to the situation at hand, and we’re guided in the same direction.

4. The Reciprocity Trigger

Reciprocity is the well-documented psychological desire to give back to someone who has given us a gift. It’s another automatic response hard-wired into our brains. Marketers have been using bonus gifts and free samples for years. 

5. The Contrast Trigger

Framing a proposition so it appears more desirable than an alternative is a proven automatic compliance technique. Always present the most onerous approach first, followed by what you really want.

6. The Reason Why Trigger

When you present a valid reason to accept a proposition, you achieve compliance. 

7. The Hope Trigger

We are easily persuaded by those who understand our hopes, wishes and dreams. Once we perceive an opportunity to satisfy them, we seldom rely on cognitive thought or logic before we act. 

Six Steps to a Persuasive Presentation 

Here’s a proposed outline for framing a successful presentation that persuades others to act in the direction you desire:

1. Write down your persuasion goal, what you hope to accomplish, what you expect others to do and the ideal time frame.

2. List the questions you’ll ask your audience to determine their perceptions on the issue.

3. List each of the seven internal triggers. Under each one, list every possible item that could apply. Select and prioritize the three or four triggers best suited to the situation.

4. Frame your presentation with the beginning and ending that have the highest impact. The friendship trigger, coupled with the reciprocity trigger, is a great start. You’ll also want early application of the authority trigger.

5. The body of the proposal, including the logic and data, will follow the other trigger information. Minimal application of logic and data will reinforce a positive decision.

6. Finally, frame your closure by defining precisely what you want your audience to do, and determine how you will ask for this action.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Motivation is What Gets You Started, Habit is What Keeps You Going

What is your purpose? During these challenging times it is a good opportunity to reflect and answer the BIG questions. This may sound “old school” to many however here are some “habits” to consider; hard work, preparation, taking care of those you love, self sacrifice, self discipline, religious faith and enjoy life.

 

The question, “What is your purpose?” often prompts the following, “be true to yourself” or “hold firm to your ideals”. Well, what if you can’t answer these questions?

 

Several years ago I spent time developing my personal “mission statement”. The result follows.

 

To make a contribution to the world by being a living example of; love, understanding, compassion, trust and wisdom. Starting first with my family I will help each develop the strength and courage to lead an independent and fulfilling life.

 

Seek first to understand, then be understood.

 

I will live by the values of integrity, compassion and self-discipline. I will strive to keep commitments not only to others but myself as well. I will not make excuses or blame others. I will keep my mind and body healthy and strong so that I am able to live my mission.

 

My mission is to be a force for positive change and to inspire others to greatness through being a catalyst for action and through developing a shared vision of that which is possible.

 

We make choices each day that influence our legacy. What can you do better? Are you spending your time the way you want?

 

Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”

 

 

 

On the wall behind my desk hangs a famous photo of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, having just knocked him to the canvas; you may have seen the photo. Liston does not get up again, very few people remember Sonny Liston and quite frankly he was not much of a champ, more of a chump, however, Ali goes on to become one of the most famous champions of all time. In the years after the Liston fight Ali was beaten several times, what makes Ali the “GREATEST” is he got back up and fought again and again. My father, he was also a professional fighter, always told me it is not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up.

 

A 29 year Yale study concluded that an optimistic attitude is more important to health than blood pressure, cholesterol level, smoking or obesity. It also found that with an optimistic attitude, you live on average 7.5 years longer. Optimism is not a goofy naïve, over dreaming perspective. It is choosing to be forward moving regardless of setbacks. It’s choosing to be free of unnecessary anxiety and frustration. It is accepting the fact of where you are, but never letting go of the mental perspective “I will prevail.” Get up off the canvas! The remarkable thing is that you have a choice every single day to manage it or let it be mismanaged.

 CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

 

Planning for Your Success

If you don’t know where you are going any road will get you there.  Without a plan how can you prioritize your day, how do you know what a good customer looks like, how do you ask for referrals?

 

Recently I was coaching a client with his plan and I asked his assessment of how he was doing so far this year. There was silence on the other end of the phone while I waited. We then discussed his “critical goals” and looked at the plan he had built 6 months ago.

 

When a plane takes off from Newark airport the pilot has a flight plan. The plane may have to make adjustments as it flies west, it will eventually arrive at its destination, even though it was off course most of the time. The goal was to get to LA.

 

You must be absolutely clear about your destination.  Do you have clear, written, specific, measurable goals, committed to paper and organized into specific action plans? Can you answer the question…what do you want?

 

You must be prepared to launch in the face of your fears, doubts and natural reluctance to leave your comfort zone. Les Brown says, “To achieve something that you have never achieved before, you must be prepared to do something that you have never done before.”

 

You must resolve in advance to persist in the face of any difficulty or problem that you experience.  Recently I watched, with my family, the Will Smith movie “In Pursuit of Happiness”. The main character was certainly determined. Perhaps the most important quality for success is persistence.  You must resolve in advance that you will view every temporary setback or difficultly as merely a signal that you need to make an adjustment to reach your goal.

 

We are almost half way through 2008, now is a good time to take out your plan and see how you are doing with your journey.

 

“Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.”

 Jim Ryun.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

 

Recently I was coaching a client with his plan and I asked his assessment of how he was doing so far this year. There was silence on the other end of the phone while I waited. We then discussed his “critical goals” and looked at the plan he had built 6 months ago.

 

When a plane takes off from Newark airport the pilot has a flight plan. The plane may have to make adjustments as it flies west, it will eventually arrive at its destination, even though it was off course most of the time. The goal was to get to LA.

 

You must be absolutely clear about your destination.  Do you have clear, written, specific, measurable goals, committed to paper and organized into specific action plans? Can you answer the question…what do you want?

 

You must be prepared to launch in the face of your fears, doubts and natural reluctance to leave your comfort zone. Les Brown says, “To achieve something that you have never achieved before, you must be prepared to do something that you have never done before.”

 

You must resolve in advance to persist in the face of any difficulty or problem that you experience.  Recently I watched, with my family, the Will Smith movie “In Pursuit of Happiness”. The main character was certainly determined. Perhaps the most important quality for success is persistence.  You must resolve in advance that you will view every temporary setback or difficultly as merely a signal that you need to make an adjustment to reach your goal.

 

We are almost half way through 2008, now is a good time to take out your plan and see how you are doing with your journey.

 

“Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.”

 Jim Ryun.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Your Plans are Temporary Your Ability to Plan is Forever.

Last week we marked the 65^th anniversary of the Normandy invasion. The planning that took place for this massive Allied undertaking was extensive. One of the contributors to the plan was Winston Churchill, one of the great strategic minds of the 20^th century. Sir Winston said, “Plans are worthless, planning is invaluable.”

 

 

What did he mean by that statement? How does this impact you? On June 6, 1944, ships landed on the wrong beach, airborne troops were dropped many miles off target, communications broke down, intelligence that was gathered prior to the attack was not accurate and many other events occurred that were not anticipated.

 

In order to be successful you must have GOALS, to reach those goals you must have a plan. The lessons that I take from history and apply to planning are just that; develop plans to reach your goals, anticipate obstacles, be prepared to change your assumptions but not your conviction. Berlin and the defeat of the Nazi’s remained the goal, however, the obstacles the Allies encountered after D-Day required many adjustments and new directions to achieve their ultimate goal.

 

Steps in setting SMART goals. The Art of Goal Setting

 

S- specific

M- measurable

A- attainable

R- realistic

T- time bound

 

1.    Narrow your focus and be specific when setting goals. Concentration is the key to success, the more defined your goal the greater your focus.

2.    What gets measured gets done. Write down your goals and how you plan on measuring your progress. When you can see the goal you tap more energy and conviction.

3.    When developing your goals you must consider where are you now. The goal has to be something you believe you are capable of doing. Make sure your goal is something you enjoy doing, your commitment to stay the course will be helped if you enjoy the journey.

4.    When you evaluate and review your goals make sure they are not too easy. There will be times you struggle and times you progress faster than expected.

5.    There needs to be a beginning and end.  Your progress should be tracked at regular intervals. There must be accountability; it is easier to stay on track when you have support and reminders. Benchmarks and time periods are several examples, having a coach to provide feedback is invaluable.

 

Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.” You are the master of your fate. The principles listed above can change your destiny. People take more time to plan a two-week vacation then they invest in planning their lives. Invest in yourself; write down your goals and plans now!

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Can Affirmations Work for You?

Your mind is made up of two elements that interact in such a way as to control your behavior. The first of these is your subconscious mind.  Your subconscious mind is that part that houses memories, the nervous system, emotions, and your most basic attitudes.  It is from your subconscious mind that thoughts are sent which will eventually enable you to achieve your goals.  The conscious mind makes decisions, determines goals, and gathers knowledge for the purpose of taking some kind of action.

If the data in the subconscious mind complements conscious decisions and desires, action will occur.  If, however, the messages conflict, the “power” of the subconscious mind will cause conflict, procrastination, fear, and possibly avoidance of action. A large percentage of our actions are automatic and instinctive. They are controlled by the attitudes and beliefs imprinted on the subconscious mind. Conversely, all input to the subconscious mind must come from the conscious, which is that part of you which controls behavior.

The relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind can be seen in all kinds of people. For example – have you ever heard someone telling themselves they were ill so much that they actually became ill? Or – have you ever known someone who lied to themselves so often that they began to believe the lies? These are both examples of the interaction between the subconscious and the conscious minds. In the first case, the individual’s conscious mind told that they were ill. The subconscious (which is incapable of reasoning) accepted that data and through the nervous system, sent back signals that caused the person to feel illness.  In the second case, the same process occurred.

Your success is tied to your action, your action to your attitude. Thus, the “automatic guidance system” within you either operates as a success mechanism or failure mechanism. It all depends on the goals you set for it.

Through the conscious use of affirmations we become able to program our subconscious mind so that it operates as a success mechanism and causes positive behavior and change towards the achievement of our goals.

The use of affirmations is designed fundamentally to get the subconscious working with us not against us – to get our goal-striving mechanism to work for the achievement of our goals.

What is an affirmation? The best definition of an affirmation is: “telling yourself in times of doubt that which you know to be true at other times.”

More specifically, an affirmation is a positive statement in the first person singular which describes the you you want to become through our goals program.

The power of affirmations can best be recognized when we realize that the mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined.  For example, suppose you “imagine” late at night that there is a prowler in the house.  Are you any less frightened than if you “knew” there was a prowler in the house?  Certainly not.  You are afraid because you imagine a fearful situation. The use of affirmations to build confidence applies to the same principle, but with a positive goal in mind.

Affirmations should have the following qualities:

1.    Affirmations should be positive.

2.     Affirmations should be in the first person singular.

3. Affirmations should be within the realm of your capacity to believe  (realistically high)

4. Affirmations should be directly related to your goals.

Let me know your experience, have you tried affirmations…what happened?
If you now try affirmations, let me know your experience.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

If the data in the subconscious mind complements conscious decisions and desires, action will occur.  If, however, the messages conflict, the “power” of the subconscious mind will cause conflict, procrastination, fear, and possibly avoidance of action. A large percentage of our actions are automatic and instinctive. They are controlled by the attitudes and beliefs imprinted on the subconscious mind. Conversely, all input to the subconscious mind must come from the conscious, which is that part of you which controls behavior.

The relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind can be seen in all kinds of people. For example – have you ever heard someone telling themselves they were ill so much that they actually became ill? Or – have you ever known someone who lied to themselves so often that they began to believe the lies? These are both examples of the interaction between the subconscious and the conscious minds. In the first case, the individual’s conscious mind told that they were ill. The subconscious (which is incapable of reasoning) accepted that data and through the nervous system, sent back signals that caused the person to feel illness.  In the second case, the same process occurred.

Your success is tied to your action, your action to your attitude. Thus, the “automatic guidance system” within you either operates as a success mechanism or failure mechanism. It all depends on the goals you set for it.

Through the conscious use of affirmations we become able to program our subconscious mind so that it operates as a success mechanism and causes positive behavior and change towards the achievement of our goals.

The use of affirmations is designed fundamentally to get the subconscious working with us not against us – to get our goal-striving mechanism to work for the achievement of our goals.

What is an affirmation? The best definition of an affirmation is: “telling yourself in times of doubt that which you know to be true at other times.”

More specifically, an affirmation is a positive statement in the first person singular which describes the you you want to become through our goals program.

The power of affirmations can best be recognized when we realize that the mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined.  For example, suppose you “imagine” late at night that there is a prowler in the house.  Are you any less frightened than if you “knew” there was a prowler in the house?  Certainly not.  You are afraid because you imagine a fearful situation. The use of affirmations to build confidence applies to the same principle, but with a positive goal in mind.

Affirmations should have the following qualities:

1.    Affirmations should be positive.

2.     Affirmations should be in the first person singular.

3. Affirmations should be within the realm of your capacity to believe  (realistically high)

4. Affirmations should be directly related to your goals.

Let me know your experience, have you tried affirmations…what happened?
If you now try affirmations, let me know your experience.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Five Simple Strategies for More Effective Communications

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” This expression sums up exchanges we have throughout our day. Why does this expression resonate with so many?

 

Some think communication is transferring a precise piece of information from one mind to another. Have you had data, or a conclusion; you felt so strongly about that all you had to do was explain your finding and people instantly saw your point of view? How did that work for you…not so well?

 

1. Let others talk.  My favorite acronym is WAIT--Why am I talking?  By waiting and letting others speak first we are able to learn much. How do they like to communicate?  Do they speak in short sentences with specific facts?  Do they tell stories and ramble?   Are they controlled and unexpressive or do they use their hands and many facial expressions?  These are all clues on how you should communicate with them.  By allowing people to speak first, your comments will be more effective and better received.

 

2. Listen.  God gave us two ears and one mouth; I suggest we use them proportionately. You must work at listening…concentrate; get the information the first time.  Good listeners do not jump to conclusions; they listen for ideas not just facts.  Keep your mind open…hold emotion in check.  Take notes and adjust to the speaker.  Judge content, not delivery and listen optimistically.

 

3. Create an open atmosphere.  Notice the first two items were pertaining to receiving not sending.  Communication is a two-way process, sending and receiving.  Many focus only on the sending portion.  In order to be a great communicator, you must build a climate of openness and trust.  You do this by having mutual respect and the results will follow.

 

4. Non-verbal communication.  Eye contact.  Smiling, nodding your head, appropriate facial expressions or body language all let the person know you are paying attention.  Repeat what the other person says by using, “If I understand you correctly…” Seek first to understand, and then be understood.

 

5. The Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would do unto yourself.”  A fine sentiment, however, in the 21^st century the “World is Flat”.  Realize the cultural, multi-generational and personality differences of the people you’re speaking with.  Use the philosophy of “Do unto others as they would do unto themselves.”

 

The rewards of being a good communicator will directly influence your ability to lead; you will empower others to excel by clearly and effectively communicating.

 

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Is History Still Relevant?

One of my clients recently explained the “Hawthorne Effect”Hawthorne Effect Story , to his staff and how it related to their strategy.  To his surprise, several team members expressed that the concept was not relevant to them…how could a study done so long ago (1927) be pertinent?

When I was in school I do not recall being a fan of history, possibly it had to do with how it was taught, memorizing dates and names of principal players and wars.  But as the years passed I became a steady reader of biographies; Churchill, Stalin, FDR, Teddy and Truman to name just a few.  In reading these stories, I became acutely aware of how interrelated history has been.  One event influencing the outcome of other people in a different time and place.  My sales meetings became laced with analogies to history and events.  Most importantly I felt that the observations of these people and events were relevant to what I was doing and how I made decisions.

Allow me to share a story from the early 90’s.  IBM examined the time it took to circulate the mail through its PC division in Boca Raton, FL.  Employees, customers and suppliers were complaining that mail was not being delivered on a timely basis.  A letter took two days to cycle through IBM to the addressee.  Obviously, this is not a “core” business process; however, IBM had done a good job of focusing on core processes and could afford to focus on some sub-tier processes.  They applied the principles of Business Process Improvement to the mail process and a team went to work.  They discovered that each morning, of every workday, an individual spent two and a half hours weighing the mail and completing a report that was circulated to seven layers of management.  Why you ask?  IBM had no idea why.  Possibly the supervisor of the mail room needed a way to justify hiring new people and came up with a way to explain how many people needed be added.  The fact is that IBM did this for 15 years and the management who received this information never did anything with it.  Do you think your company is weighing the mail?

The story I just shared with you is almost 20 years old… is it still relevant?  Can you see this example being relevant going forward another 20 years?  Shakespeare wrote 350 years ago yet his stories are just as relevant to us today.  If we do not learn and grow from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

CoachAnovick.com

Paul Anovick

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

When I was in school I do not recall being a fan of history, possibly it had to do with how it was taught, memorizing dates and names of principal players and wars.  But as the years passed I became a steady reader of biographies; Churchill, Stalin, FDR, Teddy and Truman to name just a few.  In reading these stories, I became acutely aware of how interrelated history has been.  One event influencing the outcome of other people in a different time and place.  My sales meetings became laced with analogies to history and events.  Most importantly I felt that the observations of these people and events were relevant to what I was doing and how I made decisions.

Allow me to share a story from the early 90’s.  IBM examined the time it took to circulate the mail through its PC division in Boca Raton, FL.  Employees, customers and suppliers were complaining that mail was not being delivered on a timely basis.  A letter took two days to cycle through IBM to the addressee.  Obviously, this is not a “core” business process; however, IBM had done a good job of focusing on core processes and could afford to focus on some sub-tier processes.  They applied the principles of Business Process Improvement to the mail process and a team went to work.  They discovered that each morning, of every workday, an individual spent two and a half hours weighing the mail and completing a report that was circulated to seven layers of management.  Why you ask?  IBM had no idea why.  Possibly the supervisor of the mail room needed a way to justify hiring new people and came up with a way to explain how many people needed be added.  The fact is that IBM did this for 15 years and the management who received this information never did anything with it.  Do you think your company is weighing the mail?

The story I just shared with you is almost 20 years old… is it still relevant?  Can you see this example being relevant going forward another 20 years?  Shakespeare wrote 350 years ago yet his stories are just as relevant to us today.  If we do not learn and grow from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

CoachAnovick.com

Paul Anovick

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Dealing with Change? Your Future Depends on it...

It is our nature to resist change…it makes us uncomfortable, we don’t like changes.  We like being in our “Comfort Zone”, yet as Peter Drucker wrote, “We live in an Age of Discontinuity”.

Just when you thought you knew where things were headed, real estate values increasing year after year, low gas prices…buy that big comfortable SUV, buy the investment condo, plan the European trip…BANG!  Sub-prime implosion, unemployment headed to 10%, money tightens, the dollar decreases in value.  Stress levels up?  Well welcome to the 21st Century…Shift Happens.

My Grandfather was born in 1888.  When he was growing up the primary mode of transportation was the horse and buggy as it was for thousands of years before.  Now just imagine the changes that he experienced in his lifetime.  First came the gas powered engine and the automobile which impacted everything in the next century.  Then he saw the airplane evolve from Kitty Hawk to huge 727’s in the sky.  In his lifetime he witnessed our putting a man on the moon, which had been described only in fiction.  He saw the US evolve from a farm nation to an industrial economy. People began moving to the West and the Sunshine States, several major wars fought on a worldwide scale.  All of this in one lifetime.

It is not just change but the rate of change.  Alvin Toffler describes this in “Future Shock”http://www.amazon.com/Future-Shock-Alvin-Toffler/dp/0553277375 as “an abrupt collision with the future.”   Change is occurring so quickly, in fact, that we no longer have the luxury of adapting to it gradually.  My Grandfather experienced change, however the events were occurring over a period of time.  We now experience massive shifts in but a few months, the speed is accelerating.

To deal effectively with change you must learn how to embrace it.  It begins with acceptance.  Most people believe that if they ignore change, it won’t happen.  That if they ignore change, somehow time will turn back to the way things were…the way it used to be.  Well that is not going to happen.  The most valuable quality you can develop is flexibility.  You must form the habit of remaining open-minded and adaptable to new information and circumstances.  When things go wrong and problems come up, as they often do, instead of becoming upset and frustrated, look for the benefit that is always contained in the change.

Charles Darwin said, “It’s not the most intelligent of the species that survives the longest; it’s the most adaptable.”

When you have a clear vision of where you’re going and what you want to accomplish, you develop resilience.  You develop a positive attitude and you have goals.  Your ability to function with calmness, clarity, and quiet assurance in every situation will determine your success in times of change more than anything else.  You have to accept change, improve on it, and then move on to the next situation.  The results you can achieve are unlimited.

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”  George Eliot

CoachAnovick

Paul@anovickassociates.com

201-445-2822

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Just when you thought you knew where things were headed, real estate values increasing year after year, low gas prices…buy that big comfortable SUV, buy the investment condo, plan the European trip…BANG!  Sub-prime implosion, unemployment headed to 10%, money tightens, the dollar decreases in value.  Stress levels up?  Well welcome to the 21st Century…Shift Happens.

My Grandfather was born in 1888.  When he was growing up the primary mode of transportation was the horse and buggy as it was for thousands of years before.  Now just imagine the changes that he experienced in his lifetime.  First came the gas powered engine and the automobile which impacted everything in the next century.  Then he saw the airplane evolve from Kitty Hawk to huge 727’s in the sky.  In his lifetime he witnessed our putting a man on the moon, which had been described only in fiction.  He saw the US evolve from a farm nation to an industrial economy. People began moving to the West and the Sunshine States, several major wars fought on a worldwide scale.  All of this in one lifetime.

It is not just change but the rate of change.  Alvin Toffler describes this in “Future Shock”http://www.amazon.com/Future-Shock-Alvin-Toffler/dp/0553277375 as “an abrupt collision with the future.”   Change is occurring so quickly, in fact, that we no longer have the luxury of adapting to it gradually.  My Grandfather experienced change, however the events were occurring over a period of time.  We now experience massive shifts in but a few months, the speed is accelerating.

To deal effectively with change you must learn how to embrace it.  It begins with acceptance.  Most people believe that if they ignore change, it won’t happen.  That if they ignore change, somehow time will turn back to the way things were…the way it used to be.  Well that is not going to happen.  The most valuable quality you can develop is flexibility.  You must form the habit of remaining open-minded and adaptable to new information and circumstances.  When things go wrong and problems come up, as they often do, instead of becoming upset and frustrated, look for the benefit that is always contained in the change.

Charles Darwin said, “It’s not the most intelligent of the species that survives the longest; it’s the most adaptable.”

When you have a clear vision of where you’re going and what you want to accomplish, you develop resilience.  You develop a positive attitude and you have goals.  Your ability to function with calmness, clarity, and quiet assurance in every situation will determine your success in times of change more than anything else.  You have to accept change, improve on it, and then move on to the next situation.  The results you can achieve are unlimited.

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”  George Eliot

CoachAnovick

Paul@anovickassociates.com

201-445-2822

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Now Is The Age Of The Right Brain

It has been said that we are now shifting from the “Knowledge Economy” to the “Creative Economy”.  Bank stocks are plunging through the floor in value with all the brightest bean counters totally screwing up day after day while yesterday Google was up 17%.  We are now in the “Conceptual Age”, it is the time of “Right Brain” thinking.  “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Albert Einstein

The leading international authority in the field of conceptual thinking is Dr. Edward de Bono.  He has written many books on the topic of which I recommend two.  “Lateral Thinking”, creativity step by step and “Six Thinking Hats”, an essential approach to business management. Six Thinking Hats

Roger Sperry won the Nobel Prize for developing a model that explains the differences in functionality between one side of the brain and the other.  The left side of the brain is our logic center.  Here we perform tasks that require analysis, mathematical computation, organization, and the development and use of process.  The right side of our brain is where our imagination resides.  Here we appreciate aesthetics and music, we synthesize ideas and we feel and express emotion.

Left brain thinking…computer programming, financial accounting… is now done more cheaply in Asia or more efficiently by computers (QuickBooks).  If it can be outsourced or automated, it probably has been.  Right Brain thinking is needed to deal with the challenges of the 21st Century.   When we use the expression “think outside the box”, where does the box exist?  Is our mind in a box?  No!  The box is in our mind.

The changes we are all dealing with today present many exciting opportunities.  You can now explore the possibility of living your life on purpose, doing what you truly love to do.  This is now the time to access the excitement of your Right Brain Thinking.     

Paul Anovick

Anovick Associates

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822                                

The leading international authority in the field of conceptual thinking is Dr. Edward de Bono.  He has written many books on the topic of which I recommend two.  “Lateral Thinking”, creativity step by step and “Six Thinking Hats”, an essential approach to business management. Six Thinking Hats

Roger Sperry won the Nobel Prize for developing a model that explains the differences in functionality between one side of the brain and the other.  The left side of the brain is our logic center.  Here we perform tasks that require analysis, mathematical computation, organization, and the development and use of process.  The right side of our brain is where our imagination resides.  Here we appreciate aesthetics and music, we synthesize ideas and we feel and express emotion.

Left brain thinking…computer programming, financial accounting… is now done more cheaply in Asia or more efficiently by computers (QuickBooks).  If it can be outsourced or automated, it probably has been.  Right Brain thinking is needed to deal with the challenges of the 21st Century.   When we use the expression “think outside the box”, where does the box exist?  Is our mind in a box?  No!  The box is in our mind.

The changes we are all dealing with today present many exciting opportunities.  You can now explore the possibility of living your life on purpose, doing what you truly love to do.  This is now the time to access the excitement of your Right Brain Thinking.     

Paul Anovick

Anovick Associates

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822                                

No More Jerks at Work: Preventing Desk Rage

It’s a sign of the times when a well-known Stanford professor and best-selling author publishes a book titled The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t (Warner Business Books, 2007).

Certainly, everyone knows what Robert I. Sutton is talking about. We’ve all experienced the nastiness of a tormentor or unconstrained egomaniac who abuses power and intimidates others.

Jerks do not go undetected for long. Raging maniacs are easy to catch and discipline. More often, however, real damage occurs after covert backstabbing and hypocrisy.

Jerk Behaviors

According to Sutton, everyday jerk behaviors include:

1.    Personal insults and innuendoes
2.    Invading one’s personal space or territory
3.    Uninvited physical contact
4.    Threats and intimidation, verbal and nonverbal
5.    Sarcastic jokes, teasing and disguised insults
6.    Email flames
7.    Status slaps intended to humiliate
8.    Rude interruptions
9.    Two-faced attacks
10.    Dirty looks, grimaces, eye-rolling
11.    Treating people as though they’re invisible, keeping them out of the loop

To qualify as a true jerk, one must display a persistent pattern and a history of episodes that lead others to feel humiliated and disrespected. And a boss who’s a jerk often causes anger, frustration, high turnover, absenteeism and, in extreme cases, violence.

A jerk poisons more than one victim. The damage spreads to coworkers, family members and friends who watch or hear about attacks, creating a larger pool of secondhand sufferers. The result is devastating, zapping people’s energy and causing absenteeism, loss of productivity, high turnover, depression and disengagement.

Organizations may inadvertently shelter jerks and, in some cases, promote and forgive them. The message: It’s OK to be a jerk, as long as you produce results. These individuals may be considered eccentric or artistic in temperament.

But organizations that shelter jerks risk greater legal costs because of victims’ claims of sexual harassment and discrimination. While there is no law prohibiting equal-opportunity jerk behaviors, companies that fail to discipline or weed out bullies find themselves vulnerable to expensive and difficult employment litigation.

The Costs of Harboring a Jerk

Sutton lists factors to consider when calculating the cost of protecting versus firing an abusive jerk. The consequences of failing to discipline an offender or sever employment include:

1.    Distraction from tasks 
2.    Reduced productivity
3.    Reduced psychological safety, more fear, less creativity 
4.    Loss of motivation and energy—disengagement
5.    Stress-induced illness
6.    Impaired mental functioning
7.    Absenteeism
8.    High turnover
9.    Higher-than-average theft or loss rates
10.    Loss of focus on strategically important goals

Also consider these additional management chores, with time spent:

1.    Appeasing, calming, counseling or disciplining
2.    Cooling out victims
3.    Managing dissatisfied customers, suppliers and other key outsiders
4.    Reorganizing teams and departments 
5.    Interviewing, recruiting and training replacements
6.    Managing your own burnout and stress

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Some workplaces encourage everyone to act competitively. Enron, for example, was an organizational culture in which winning and making the numbers counted more than interpersonal relationships.

Leaders in most organizations not only get paid more than others; they also enjoy constant deference and false flattery. A huge body of research shows that when people are put in positions of power, they:

•    Start talking more
•    Take what they want for themselves
•    Ignore what other people say or want
•    Start ignoring how less powerful people react to their behavior
•    Start acting more rudely
•    Generally treat any situation or person as a means for satisfying their own needs

Studies show power corrupts people and causes them to act as though they’re above rules meant for others—and this is widely accepted. Even trivial power advantages can change how people think and act, and usually for the worse.

This doesn’t, however, mean you can eliminate the pecking order. Some people are more important to the organization than others because they are more difficult to replace or have more essential skills. This is the power-performance paradox.

Top 10 Rules for Enforcing a “No Jerks at Work” Rule

Having all of the right business philosophies and management practices in place to support the “no jerks at work” rule is meaningless unless you treat the person right in front of you, right now, in the right way. It’s the little things that make the big differences:

1.    Say the rule, write it down, and act on it. If you have a policy, make sure you act on it.
2.    Jerks will hire other jerks. Don’t include them in hiring decisions.
3.    Get rid of jerks fast. Organizations generally wait too long to fire jerks.
4.    Treat certified jerks as incompetent employees. Even if people perform extraordinarily well and achieve great results, persistent meanness should be equated with incompetence.
5.    Power breeds nastiness. Giving people even a little bit of power can turn them into big jerks.
6.    Embrace the power-performance paradox. Downplay and reduce unnecessary status differences.
7.    Manage moments, not just practices, policies and systems. Change the little things, and big things will follow. 
8.    Model and teach constructive confrontation. Make sure people know when and how to argue respectfully.
9.    Adopt a one-jerk rule. If you permit one jerk to stay, use a reverse role-model approach to remind people of what not to do.
10. The bottom line: Link big policies to small decencies. When people talk to one another and work together with respect, managing jerk behaviors is natural.

Paul Anovick

Anovick Associates

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Certainly, everyone knows what Robert I. Sutton is talking about. We’ve all experienced the nastiness of a tormentor or unconstrained egomaniac who abuses power and intimidates others.

Jerks do not go undetected for long. Raging maniacs are easy to catch and discipline. More often, however, real damage occurs after covert backstabbing and hypocrisy.

Jerk Behaviors

According to Sutton, everyday jerk behaviors include:

1.    Personal insults and innuendoes
2.    Invading one’s personal space or territory
3.    Uninvited physical contact
4.    Threats and intimidation, verbal and nonverbal
5.    Sarcastic jokes, teasing and disguised insults
6.    Email flames
7.    Status slaps intended to humiliate
8.    Rude interruptions
9.    Two-faced attacks
10.    Dirty looks, grimaces, eye-rolling
11.    Treating people as though they’re invisible, keeping them out of the loop

To qualify as a true jerk, one must display a persistent pattern and a history of episodes that lead others to feel humiliated and disrespected. And a boss who’s a jerk often causes anger, frustration, high turnover, absenteeism and, in extreme cases, violence.

A jerk poisons more than one victim. The damage spreads to coworkers, family members and friends who watch or hear about attacks, creating a larger pool of secondhand sufferers. The result is devastating, zapping people’s energy and causing absenteeism, loss of productivity, high turnover, depression and disengagement.

Organizations may inadvertently shelter jerks and, in some cases, promote and forgive them. The message: It’s OK to be a jerk, as long as you produce results. These individuals may be considered eccentric or artistic in temperament.

But organizations that shelter jerks risk greater legal costs because of victims’ claims of sexual harassment and discrimination. While there is no law prohibiting equal-opportunity jerk behaviors, companies that fail to discipline or weed out bullies find themselves vulnerable to expensive and difficult employment litigation.

The Costs of Harboring a Jerk

Sutton lists factors to consider when calculating the cost of protecting versus firing an abusive jerk. The consequences of failing to discipline an offender or sever employment include:

1.    Distraction from tasks 
2.    Reduced productivity
3.    Reduced psychological safety, more fear, less creativity 
4.    Loss of motivation and energy—disengagement
5.    Stress-induced illness
6.    Impaired mental functioning
7.    Absenteeism
8.    High turnover
9.    Higher-than-average theft or loss rates
10.    Loss of focus on strategically important goals

Also consider these additional management chores, with time spent:

1.    Appeasing, calming, counseling or disciplining
2.    Cooling out victims
3.    Managing dissatisfied customers, suppliers and other key outsiders
4.    Reorganizing teams and departments 
5.    Interviewing, recruiting and training replacements
6.    Managing your own burnout and stress

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Some workplaces encourage everyone to act competitively. Enron, for example, was an organizational culture in which winning and making the numbers counted more than interpersonal relationships.

Leaders in most organizations not only get paid more than others; they also enjoy constant deference and false flattery. A huge body of research shows that when people are put in positions of power, they:

•    Start talking more
•    Take what they want for themselves
•    Ignore what other people say or want
•    Start ignoring how less powerful people react to their behavior
•    Start acting more rudely
•    Generally treat any situation or person as a means for satisfying their own needs

Studies show power corrupts people and causes them to act as though they’re above rules meant for others—and this is widely accepted. Even trivial power advantages can change how people think and act, and usually for the worse.

This doesn’t, however, mean you can eliminate the pecking order. Some people are more important to the organization than others because they are more difficult to replace or have more essential skills. This is the power-performance paradox.

Top 10 Rules for Enforcing a “No Jerks at Work” Rule

Having all of the right business philosophies and management practices in place to support the “no jerks at work” rule is meaningless unless you treat the person right in front of you, right now, in the right way. It’s the little things that make the big differences:

1.    Say the rule, write it down, and act on it. If you have a policy, make sure you act on it.
2.    Jerks will hire other jerks. Don’t include them in hiring decisions.
3.    Get rid of jerks fast. Organizations generally wait too long to fire jerks.
4.    Treat certified jerks as incompetent employees. Even if people perform extraordinarily well and achieve great results, persistent meanness should be equated with incompetence.
5.    Power breeds nastiness. Giving people even a little bit of power can turn them into big jerks.
6.    Embrace the power-performance paradox. Downplay and reduce unnecessary status differences.
7.    Manage moments, not just practices, policies and systems. Change the little things, and big things will follow. 
8.    Model and teach constructive confrontation. Make sure people know when and how to argue respectfully.
9.    Adopt a one-jerk rule. If you permit one jerk to stay, use a reverse role-model approach to remind people of what not to do.
10. The bottom line: Link big policies to small decencies. When people talk to one another and work together with respect, managing jerk behaviors is natural.

Paul Anovick

Anovick Associates

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822