Goethe's Gambit: Power of Expectation
Victor Antonio
Keynote Speaker and Author - "Sales Ex Machina”, Relationship Selling" & "Mastering the Upsell | Hall of Fame Sales Speaker |
Thought of The Day
Years ago, okay if I’m being fully transparent, decades ago I came across a quote by German poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe that left an indelible mark on how I view human potential.??
“If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”
The power of this pronouncement lies in what it tells us about how managers, coaches, and leaders can influence, if not impact, the lives of others under their governance.
Goethe’s quote encapsulates what is commonly known as the Pygmalion Effect, which states that when we expect certain behavior of others we are likely to act in ways that make the expected behavior more likely to occur.
In other words, if I believe a new employee in my charge has the potential to be a top performer, I will spend the time, money, and effort to support that person.
On the other hand,…
If I believe a new employee doesn’t have the potential to be a top performer, I will hold back on spending time, money, and effort.
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According to Goethe, in either case, I’m right!
For example, When I invest in a perceived high-potential candidate, I’ll eventually begin to see the results, thereby proving that my instincts were right.??
When I don’t invest in a perceived low-potential candidate, I’ll eventually begin to see the person fail, proving my instincts were right.
In both cases, what I expect, is what I get!
As leaders, we need to take care of how we wield this power of expectation.
Question: If a direct report is struggling, is it because of their inherent inability to perform or your perception of their inability???
Sales Leadership Expert | Sales Professional | Speaker | GA Dawg Fan ??
1 年Answer: It depends. It is up to the leader to find out. The best way to find out is to seek additional perspectives from peers, other leaders and mentors. If you see limits, you will teach limits. When you teach limits, you will reach limits. If you see possibilities, you will teach possibilities. When you teach possibilities, you will reach possibilities. Find out which lens you are using to see. Then, it is up to you as the leader to develop a plan for better results.
Proven Powerful Effective Sales Professional
1 年Powerful.... If you think you can or if your think you cant, You are Correct... As a Leader I believe this is very true. You can bring out the best in other people if they also choose to be better. But on the other hand as I am under someone else leadership sometimes. I will never allow their expectation of me failing become my reality. I AM A WINNER..... ?? Thanks for sharing Victor Antonio