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Peter Honey

By Peter Honey (May 2008 Issue)
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From time to time I’m asked to run short workshops on a variety of topics: learning styles (of course!), solving people problems, teamwork, valuing diversity and so on. My strong preference is to design these events in a way that encourages participation and minimises anything resembling ‘chalk and talk’. There is, however, a problem with this approach: it conflicts with what people are expecting.

Unfortunately, I’ve reached the stage in life where people too often regard me as some sort of expert. I’m often introduced as a ‘guru’ and/or an ‘international authority’.

I regard this as unfortunate, because being perceived as an expert gives rise to some expectations that I can’t possibly meet, let alone exceed. Firstly, it means that I am expected to provide instant answers; not just any old answers, but new, amazing answers – the sorts of answers that make people say ‘wow, this guy really knows what he’s talking about!’ Secondly, it means that people expect to sit at my feet and listen to me pontificating. Thirdly, it means that dissent becomes strangely suppressed. Challenges and disagreements are rare; the cut and thrust of debate amongst equals is missing.

I realise that these descriptions might make you envious: perhaps you long for people to accept what you have to say without demur, and for them to be subservient and polite? But, believe me, however good these things might be for your ego, they are certainly not good for learning.

So I have devised a way of starting my workshops in which, within five minutes or so, people are sucked in, and forget all about me being an ‘expert’. I have used this method a number of times and (so far) it has always done the trick. The secret is to have a simple device that, from a standing start, will get people talking to each other about relevant, meaningful things.

My way of doing this is to give people a ‘shortlist’ of beliefs and ask them to decide which they agree with and which they disagree with. Initially, I ask people to react to the list without conferring and then, in pairs or small groups, to compare their responses and discuss any items where they differ. This then becomes a full-blown debate in which we all focus on the most contentious items and listen to the reasons people have for agreeing or disagreeing.

Let me give you an example. Here is a list of beliefs about attitudes and behaviour (it could just as easily have been one about learning, or empowerment, or leading and managing, or mistakes, or motivation, or strategic thinking). On balance, which do you believe?

1. I believe underlying attitudes are the single most important cause of people’s behaviour.
2. I believe behaviour has an impact on attitudes as often as attitudes affect behaviour.
3. I believe that people are born with a strong predisposition towards certain attitudes and ways of behaving.
4. I believe people’s attitudes and ways of behaving are more made than born.
5. I believe that attitudes are conclusions that people have reached that ‘ossify’ and cannot change.
6. I believe behaviour breeds behaviour, i.e. my behaviour affects other people’s behaviour and vice versa.
7. I believe people’s behaviour is random and unpredictable.
8. I believe people behave in a certain way in anticipation that, more often than not, it will be advantageous for them.
9. I believe that sanctions (‘sticks’), real or imagined, are more effective in regulating people’s behaviour than rewards (‘carrots’).
10. I believe the most effective way to change people’s behaviour is to change the situation, i.e. the circumstances surrounding the behaviour.
11. I believe the most effective way to change people’s behaviour is to change the underlying attitudes that are causing it.
12. I believe most people improve their behaviour once they know exactly what is expected of them and have ongoing feedback.

That’s all there is to it! A list like this, never longer than 12 items, primes the pump and people start exploring some fundamental beliefs. I get completely sidelined and the best I can do (assuming I want people to remember that I exist!) is to run a ‘tidy-up’ session that pulls some threads together.

Lists of beliefs, on any topic under the sun, are easy to produce but I have never seen anyone else using this simple way of stimulating instant and relevant participation. Sometimes I wonder if I am the only ‘expert’ working hard to overcome the expectation that I have all the answers.

Dr Peter Honey, FRSA, FCIPD, FIMC is a chartered psychologist and founder of Peter Honey Publications. He can be contacted on +44 (0) 1628 633946, at peterhoney@peterhoney.com or visit www.peterhoney.com.

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