Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Be Aware You Are Being Programmed

Locally and internationally the newspapers and the electronic media is abuzz with how governments have been eves dropping on our communication. Before we get startled on the actions of the big brother there is something far more intrusive than the current controversy and it roots can be found in the history of mankind. It is the “indirect influence” that one  person has on the behavior of another person. Psychologists call it the “induction process.” Let me illustrate what it looks in real life with an example.

Several years ago as a front a front-line trainer I delivered induction programs for those who had recently joined the company. To my utter surprise I could tell with reasonable accuracy which manager a participant worked with by simply observing him or her. My observation was based on some simple facts gathered from the way their managers acted when it came to attending learning sessions-If the manager was one who came early to the session they did the same; if the manager was a back bencher they sat at the back of the class; if the manager participated in discussion, dressed sharply and was well prepared they all did the same. A few years later when some of them got promoted many of their actions resembled closely with what they had observed in their manager.

It is very clear that we are greatly influenced by the expectations of our role model even though the role model may not have directly asked us to do so.

How does  "induction" work?
Here is one example of how the induction works in early child hood.

Answer some of these questions and the concept will become clear.
  •  Growing up who was the most important person in your life?
  •  What kind of a person he expected you to be?
  •  Who you could not be for him or her?
  • What were the consequences for acting that way (in the manner that he or she liked)?
The way you describe yourself today, your personality, can be explained by the way you answered the above questions.

The application at workplace
At the workplace the indirect influence works in the same manner as it does in personal life. If you have a boss who cooperates with his peers-his team members do the same; if he is polite and acknowledges people-his team members do the same; if he is always complaining- his team members follow his example. 
  
Leaders can leverage the concept of indirect influence in shaping behavior of the people around them. Along with financial incentives that companies offer the indirect influence is a powerful tool in the hands of leaders and managers.

The field of Human Psychology has identified several types of influences for example: denial, displacement, refusal, rationalization, repression, regression etc.

In summary watch out- you are continuously programming others and others are programming you.  If you are accepting programming act like a gold digger and pick only the best; if you programming others remember you are creating a legacy-act responsibly.