Both my parents had their own independent businesses when I was a child and so I grew up in steeped in family business. In the 70’s my Mam owned and operated a thriving green grossers in Rathfarnham Village.
This was a rich and colourful environment to experience as a child. There was always lots of colour, noise, hustle and bustle. The constant flow of people coming and going all of the time from friends, customers, employees, family, everybody just walking through the front door.
I believe that it was in that small shop that my fascination with human behaviour began.
I have been lucky enough in my life to have been afforded the opportunity to return to study. And in particular to study organisational behaviour at the IMI. This programme has its roots in psychology and behavioural economics. Covering areas from motivation to the psychology of negotiation. Within the reading on this programme Cialdini and his 6 principles of persuasion are a conerstone on the programme.
Social science demonstrating what one sees on a daily basis in many business and retail settings. When you understand what is happening around you and how you are being persuaded, the tactics that people are using to shift you in a particular direction. Appling these principles back to my experiences in my career is an illumination for me to say the least. S
The Power of Social Proof
For example when we return to being able to go on holidays to foreign parts. How many of us when walking down the broadway of a foreign town opt to eat in the busy restaurant as opposed to the quite eatery beside it. Both are most like equally as good. It is the on street compare that is the person who is making your choice for you. This is what Cialdini says is the power of social proof, if everybody else is doing it why shouldn’t I?
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