Aha Moment Monday
I once learned in H.R. class to treat people like you want them to be. In other words, give them the training, the tools and the inspiration to allow them to fully expand into their position.
This is a practice often used by coaches as well.
If you’ve read Pygmalion in the Classroom you are familiar with the dramatic change in students’ performance when they become convinced they are gifted.
In that study, the children did not actually demonstrate higher levels of intelligence – in fact, many were labelled poor students – but it was the teacher’s (false) belief and challenge for the students to expand that helped them rise to the top of the class.
Now, there is a rather fine line between belief and labels.
Say, you tell your eight-year-old, “You’re so smart!” every time he comes home with an A on his worksheet.
The child beams and you’re so proud … but what happens when the child can’t accomplish an A? Does he feel less smart? Will he strive to own that label at all costs?
Aha! ~ Grow from the inside out.
The success with Marva Collins’ students was that she influenced her students to believe that they are the masters of their destinies, that they are as talented as any human being who walked the earth.
Children who were labelled otherwise were inspired through a belief that was held by the teacher and transferred to the students.
This belief inspires consistency and “… one of the strongest forces in human organism is the need for consistency.” says Anthony Robbins in Awaken the Giant Within.
When someone isn’t consistent they are labelled hypocritical, unstable, untrustworthy yet someone who IS consistent is deemed as solid, rational and true-blue. The way we identify ANYONE is by their ACTIONS.
Many, many dreams are squashed and positions unfilled by people owning the negative labels others had bestowed upon them. And as we develop beliefs about ourselves, our behaviour is formed and we act accordingly.
This false identity can be a great excuse as to why you can’t do something but in the bigger picture, growth, expansion, freedom and happiness – CONSISTENTLY being true to yourself – is what was intended for you all along.
Identity is only limited by perception…yours and theirs.
Choose yours.
Have your Aha Moment Mondays delivered right to your inbox… sign up here.