| Humor at Work |
ISSUE 618 - Feb. 17, 2016 |
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Nice and Easy Persuasion |
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If you want to land that next job, make the big sale, win over an upset customer, or persuade your team to test drive your outrageous idea, the best advice based on scads of research is...wait for it...be nice!
In fact, research outlined in Dr. Richard Wiseman's book, 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot, suggests that the number one factor when it comes to persuasion is the likability of the persuader. In addition to just being genuinely nice, some of the specific findings suggest that you can improve your odds of persuading someone by...
- Delivering negative information up front. When people admit their blunders or problems with an idea early on, as opposed to waiting until the end, likability ratings go up.
- Sitting at the middle of the table. Studies show that we tend to have a more favorable impression of people sitting in the middle of a meeting table than people sitting on the periphery.
- Keeping things simple. Studies repeatedly show that people trust, like, and respect people who use plain, simple language more than people who use overly complicated jargon. And people who use simple, direct language are typically rated as more intelligent. (Which is why businesses need to stop saying things like, "We regret any inconvenience blah blah blah..." and start saying things like, "Oops! We screwed up! And we're really
sorry!")
- Humbly screwing up. Yup, you heard right. In several different experiments, people who screwed up in some way (like spilling over a cup of coffee) were ranked as more likable and trustworthy than people who seemed "too perfect." (Another reason to "own" your bloopers and laugh them off rather than stewing over them.)
- Passing along positive gossip. There's a phenomenon known as "spontaneous trait transference" that works like this: When you pass along positive comments about a colleague, the listener subconsciously applies those same positive traits to you. In other words, the nicer you speak about other people, the nicer people think you are.
- Using humor. When salespeople offered to throw a pet frog into the mix when trying to sell an expensive piece of art, buyers were far more likely to settle on a higher price. Humor has been shown time and time again to lower people's resistance and build trust.
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Mike's Fun at Work Tip |
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I kid you not - a little "kidding around" can help your company generate better ideas. Some companies bring kids in for brainstorming meetings as a way to add some truly fresh perspectives. In fact, when a Flour Corporation office did this in California, the groups that included a mix of kids and adults generated more ideas and better ideas. So why not invite some kids into your next meeting, or include employees' children in contests that get them involved in your
workplace? Your employees' families are part of your support team - and engaging family members through fun contests might not only generate some innovative ideas for your workplace, it will also have a positive impact on employee engagement levels and loyalty.
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Quote of the Week |
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"In the work environment, innovation comes from trust, from people having a voice." Susan Reilly Salgado
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It's a Wacky World |
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Looking for the accidentally funny in the world is the quickest way to grow your sense of humor. Here are some more unintentionally funny newspaper headlines:
- Threats Disrupt Plans To Meet About Threats
- Hospital Is Sued By Seven Foot Doctors
- Midget Sues Grocer, Cites Belittling Remarks
- Astronaut Takes Blame For Gas in Spacecraft
- Psychics Predict World Didn't End Yesterday!
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Cost Savings to Bring Mike to Your Event
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mike@mikekerr.com
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