Positive expectations can change a person's perception of a situation just as dramatically as negative expectations.
Psychologists call this the Pygmalion effect - after the George Bernard Shaw play of the same name.
A remarkable study some years ago was done by psychologist Robert Rosenthal and school principal Lenore Jacobson.
They told elementary school teachers (on the basis of some fictitious psychological tests) that some of their students in their class were designated as late bloomers - even though they hadn't shown any academic success, they are expected to Bloom.
The Trick Up Your Sleeve
“... cause your team leaders to radiate a positive posture derived from the high confidence you have on those individuals in their teams ...”
A year later it was found that those kids who had been alleged to their teachers to be showing or going to show intellectual gains, in fact showed greater intellectual gains than did the children of whom nothing in particular was said.
So, how do the kids actually get smarter when they are expected to get smarter by their teachers? And, how could the teacher’s expectations actually affect pupils' intellectual performance?
It was established that the variation was induced by the tendency of teachers doing things differently to kids for whom they had more favorable expectations.
Cheza Chini Mtu Wangu ...
So, how can the Pygmalion/Rosenthal Effect increase the efficacy of your leadership when facing a crisis?
I find this very interesting and really useful for leaders for a number of reasons.
The most conspicuous being, no matter how brutal the facts are and the reality of what you are facing in a time of crisis, the trick up your sleeve is to cause your team leaders to radiate a positive posture on the basis of some fictitious belief you have impacted on them regarding the high confidence you have on those individuals in their teams.
This has a positive multiplier effect from which your team will be able to benefit. The team will weather the storm and remarkably lift their performance.
Cheza chini mtu wangu -- [Image by NdauoCreatives]
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