Inspiring Workplaces: Three Simple Ways You Can Influence People

Published: Wed, 12/05/18

Humor at Work

ISSUE 754 - Dec. 5, 2018


			Three Powerfully Simple Ways You Can Influence People

	Here are three things you can do to improve your ability to influence the behavior of your colleagues, customers, or yes, even your teenage children... #1. Offer Social Proof. In one study people were 26% more likely to reuse their hotel towels when the message focused on how many hotel guests were reusing the towels vs. a generic message around helping out the environment. Focusing on the number of hotel guests who reuse the towels is a form of "social proof," which almost always proves to be highly persuasive when influencing behaviors. #2. Prime the Ego. When surveyors randomly stop people in a shopping mall and ask shoppers if they consider themselves to be a helpful person, 77% of the people stopped agree to be surveyed vs. only 29% who agree when they aren't first asked the question. Similarly, when you ask people, "Do you consider yourself to be adventurous and open-minded?" people are far more likely to go along with what's being asked of them! #3. Make It About You. Studies show that you are more drawn to things that are about, well, you! The more you can personalize your messages so they are more relevant to the intended audience, the higher the likelihood that people will buy into what's being asked of them. Even just changing your language from using words such as they or people to you will help you improve your odds of success. (See what I did there?)

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

One Inspiring Workplaces subscriber sent me an e-mail (thank you Heather Marie!) describing their weekly meeting traditions. They open and close every Monday meeting with the line, "Finger pineapple is better than foot lettuce." Obviously, this makes no sense to the rest of us, which is why it's so great! It's an inside joke for this team - one of those funny work-isms where you just had to be there to understand the context. If you have any funny work-isms in your workplace, be sure to embrace opportunities to keep them alive in a fun way! The second tradition they practice is to end their meetings with a little Funny Business. Each person is asked to bring at least one piece of funny business to their Monday team huddle: something funny they've heard, seen, or read, either at work or in their personal lives. The very popular Funny Business moment helps end their meetings on a positive note and with a smile on everyone's face.
		Quote of the Week

“Shaping your culture is more than half done when you hire your team.” Jessica Herrin, Founder, Stella & Dot
		It's a Wacky World

A rather bizarre newspaper headline recently showed up on my news feed: Police Lock Up Drunk Raccoons Until They Sober Up. Turns out, yes, these raccoons from West Virginia had indeed gotten into the hooch - in the form of fermented crab apples. Those of you that have dealt with these wily animals know that sober raccoons can be a handful, so one can only imagine what happens when they turn into real party animals!

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