You Can Be an Influencer – Part IX:
How to Use What Is Around You to Influence People
When it comes to influencing, most of our focus is on human interaction, both internally and externally. What will personally motivate a person forward? How can personal interactions with others be helpful? However, there is also a third motivator that is often overlooked – the environment.
Fred Steele is a social scientist and expert on the impact of physical space. He has stated that most people are “environmentally incompetent.” We fail to notice how the environment affects us. We can’t hear the environment audibly but it speaks volumes visually to our subconscious, which impacts behaviors.
What define top performers are their skills of awareness and authenticity according to a body of research known as the Genius Study. Top performers know themselves well and are acutely aware of the environment around them so they remain in control rather than outside circumstances controlling them. Below are three steps you can apply so that you harness ‘what is around you’ instead of the environment directing you. It will also provide insight on how to use the environment to influence others.
Learn to Notice and then Make Visible
Brian Wansick is a social scientist who conducted an experiment to see how visual cues impact people’s eating behaviors. He gave cans of potato chips to subjects in the experiment. One set of subjects were given potato chips that had every tenth chip in the can slightly discolored. Nothing was said to the subjects about the discolored chips and the subjects were also not prompted to control their eating. However, the group that had the discolored potato chips (and therefore a sub conscious visual cue of how many chips they were eating) ate 37 percent less chips.
We don’t tend to eat until we are physically full. Instead, we tend to eat based on visual cues. When wanting to control a behavior, such as eating, make the invisible visible. For example, if you want to eat smaller portion sizes use a smaller plate.
The book, Influencer, shares the example of a hospital that made the invisible visible in order to help cut costs. They were finding that employees were using more expensive powder latex gloves more often, even for short tasks, than the less expensive latex gloves. They had asked employees to cut costs, but this plea was not changing behavior. So a visual cue of a 25 cents sign was put on the less expensive box of gloves and a 3 dollar sign was put on the box of the more expensive powder gloves. By making the cost evident at the time of the choice of gloves, the use of the more expensive gloves dropped dramatically.
We often face the challenge of the invisible with our time. A common obstacle to people reaching their goals is time management. To address this problem, I have coaching clients make the invisible visible by completing a time matrix. For five days they keep track on a chart how all of their time is being spent during each day. Not only do they receive many “aha’s” on how to be more productive, but also the exercise of being aware of how their time is being spent increases accountability to productivity.
Be Aware of Space with Human Interaction
Do you struggle with silos or infighting in your organization or within your team? A possible influence strategy to explore is the use of physical space. Just as friendships do not tend to prosper and grow when friends don’t see each other as often, so does space impact team dynamics.
Our world is changing. We are moving from an industrial driven society to an “idea” driven society. The value of coming up with innovative ideas quickly is extremely valuable. Also, the best ideas tend to come from the collaboration of a group rather than an individual alone. Bell Labs, a scientific organization, tested the impact of space on their scientist’s willingness to collaborate. The correlation proved true that the scientists who were in closer proximity to each other collaborated more.
The correlation is also true that if employees don’t interact, then silos and in-fighting grow. The book, Influencer, gives the example of a company that makes use of physical space by mandating that employees gather in a common area for a daily break to informally talk, collaborate and build relationships. They have seen it as worth their investment.
The technology age has added a new dimension. This has allowed organizations to decentralize and for people to work remotely. In this situation it is critical to make sure that people regularly interact by using technology as a tool, rather than isolating. There is also always the benefit of bringing people together for group retreats, training and planning. According to the science of propinquity (physical proximity), it can be worth the investment to promote as much interaction as possible.
Guard and Control What Are You Feeding Your Subconscious
The most powerful way that people retain information is through space repetition. If I asked you to recite your alphabet, you could do it without thinking. As children we were often exposed to space repetition. You still remember the “multiplication tables” to this day, because of it. Advertisers also know the power of spaced repetition. How many advertising slogans can you recite off the top of your head?
The book, Influencer, says, “Influence geniuses understand the importance of an accurate data stream and do their best to ensure that their strategies focus on vital behaviors by serving up visible, timely and accurate information that supports their goals.”
I have a client who is a CEO of a social services organization. As you walk to the organization’s main meeting room and also board room, the walls are lined with pictures. These frames do not contain the mission statement, newspaper articles stating their success, nor reward certificates. Instead the frames contain pictures of the clients this organization has helped. The CEO has done this on purpose. As board members walk to the board room or employees walk down the hall to go to a meeting, they have been provided a visual cue and data stream of what is most important to this organization.
So, what are the most important goals in your life? How do you keep them visually in front of you? As I work with clients to define purpose and goals, I also help them make sure their “data stream” within their own thoughts is supporting them with reaching their purpose and goals. This then translates into behaviors that let them work smarter rather than harder. They become top performers.
In order to reinforce clients’ purpose, goals, and accurate thoughts, we use visual cues. This can include writing your goals, purpose, and affirmations on 3 X 5 cards that you read daily. Another creative tool is to create a collage. Cut out pictures from magazines or take photos of people and items that represent your purpose and goals. Put the collage in a place where you will see it often.
I would enjoy hearing your thoughts and ideas of how you use the environment to your advantage. If you would like to do a free visual exercise that can help you clarify your dreams or goals for the future, please call me at (812) 881-6862, email or connect on the Imajine Unlimited Facebook page or Blog.