In 1965 at the University of Pennsylvania, Marty Seligman conducted an interesting experiment where dogs were subjected to negative stimuli. When the stimulus occurred after a certain action, the dogs learned to avoid that action. When the stimulus was random, the dogs gave up and simply “took it”. This is what psychologists call “learned helplessness.”

The lesson in this for managers and owners is one of the importance of consistency. Humans react pretty much the same ways as the dogs did. When people have a view that they can influence or change the situation, they are more prepared to cope and defend. If they don’t see the situation as permanent, they often hunker down to weather the storm, then they come back ready to overcome new obstacles.

When many people give up trying, they become passive and quit thinking on their own. When there are vague rules, guidelines, strategy or job descriptions, the worker does not know what to expect. He feels he has little control of his work environment and, like the dogs, he becomes passive. He quits thinking, creating or expecting and he tries to establish as much routine in his day as possible. Unfortunately he does that by avoiding more changes.

There is a different approach from the one of random inconsistency in management  called “learned response” which is how most people learn to do their jobs. They are trained that when a certain stimulus happens, it prompts a certain response. When that occurs in a consistent manner and success occurs from the response, learning transpires. More importantly, their attitude becomes one of optimism, excitement and control. They are more open to changes in stimuli response so that they can adapt and learn new ways to handle a changing world.

The new response becomes consistent, not random. The employees remain the creative, innovative and energetic people who were originally hired.


The Engine and Employees who Could

A favorite children’s story is “The Little Engine who Could”. Here was a tiny engine who believed he could get over the mountain. Because of that belief and the little children on the other side who needed his cargo of toys, he made it. Those two traits that are the basis of this story go way beyond childhood to the heart of every successful person:  Confidence and Importance.

The truth is that people can do what they think they can do. The 4-minute mile was “impossible” in the opinion of experts of the day. In fact, it took 9 years to lower the record the last 1.4 seconds to break the 4-minute mile. Once Roger Bannister did it, his record stood for just 46 days until an Aussie, John Landy, broke Bannister’s record by 1.5 seconds. Today an Olympic athlete will be well back in the pack at 4 minutes. Once the barrier was broken and others believed it could be done, it was.

When people believe that what they are doing is important and that they can do it, they are very likely to get it done. Remember the mantra:  “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. . .  ”

Who do we Appreciate?

Appreciation is a very under appreciated motivator. Too often business people focus on money as the only motivator that matters. To cut costs other than salaries, owners sometimes resort to cutting back on staff or scrimping on tools staff members need to do their job. The result is a frustrated and bewildered staff. Studies show that workers who feel appreciated are 52% less likely to look for work elsewhere.

A pay raise is an action that soon loses its motivational power. Appreciation is an ongoing process that involves listening, taking an interest and showing excitement for the achievement of others. A simple and sincere “thank you” is a good start. They care about how much you care!

Management One® is all about helping every retailer succeed. That is why we offer Winning@Marketing as well as financial consultation, cash flow planning, management consulting with Ultimate Retail and budget reviews — all important to retail success. Let us show you how you can bring more profit to your bottom line.

Quote of the Day

“Well done is half done.” - Aristotle