Prototypes and Role Models (Part 2 of 2)
Sunil Bhave
Published Author. I help professionals achieve their goals. Executive Coach. Transformational Leadership Coach. Management Development through Storytelling
In the previous part we saw that role models play a very effective role for an individual. In this part we will briefly discuss why role models work so effectively.
If you ask a teenager or an adult, all the good qualities that person may and should aspire to have, he or she will make an impressive list. We all know what those qualities are. Then why do we need role models in the first place?
Easy to emulate
Role models provide embodiment of values that we want to imbibe. And that too in a 'sucessful' or a 'famous' person! It cements a belief that those qualities can lead to success. Rather than trying to emulate some amorphus concept, it is easier to follow someone who we can see, feel or clearly imagine. Even fictional character works fine!
Psychology of motivation
Many psychological studies show that role models provide signicant motivation. Role models have are known to help the follower take up new goals, fight in the challenging situations, and continue working on existing goals.
Behaviours
Role models help us understand and model our behaviours around the behaviours of the successful role models. While it seems logical to strive to imbibe certain attributes what helps us is the micro behaviours behind those characteristics.
Pursuing an ideal
At times we may have an ideal that is impossible to have. If we cannot find a role model, it may prompt a question about our ideals. Just because we don't have a role model does not mean that your ideals are worthless. It just forces us to do some additional thinking.
Professionals who have specific role models progress faster and better than the ones who do not have. Some professionals do suffer from the fact that they cannot have a role model for a specific aspects of life. And that is where one should remember how prototyping works. Remember the first part? Prototypes need not copy all aspects of the real world - just the relevant ones. While coaching, I strongly encourage to have role models.
What is your experience? Do you agree? Do share your views.
Sunil Bhave has written over 100 interesting articles and many interesting posts, several of them before starting Friday Thought series. Read Sunil's previous articles and posts. Sunil is an international certified executive coach and certified transformational leadership coach with vast industry experience, Business and Strategy Consultant, Management Development Professional with specialization on creativity, innovation and transformations. He regularly conducts workshops and speaks at many forums.
#SunilFridayThought #HR #myko #SunilCoach #Coaching #Training #ExecutiveCoaching #Leadership #TransformationalLeadership #Fundamentals #executivesandmanagement #Psychology #RoleModel