What is motivation?

Motivation is essentially about commitment to doing something. In the context of a business, motivation can be said to be about The will to work However, motivation is about more than simply working hard or completing tasks. Entrepreneurs and staff can find motivation from a variety of sources. Motivation can come from the enjoyment of the work itself and/or from the desire to achieve certain goals e.g. earn more money or achieve promotion. It can also come from the sense of satisfaction gained from completing something, or achieving a successful outcome after a difficult project or problem solved. Why does motivation matter in business? In short, peoples behaviour is determined by what motivates them. The performance of employees is a product of both their abilities (e.g. skills & experience) and motivation. A talented employee who feels de-motivated is unlikely to perform well at work, whereas a motivated employee can often deliver far more than is expected from them!

Benefits of a well-motivated workforce

A well-motivated workforce can provide several advantages:

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Better productivity (amount produced per employee). This can lead to lower unit costs of production and so enable a firm to sell its product at a lower price Lower levels of absenteeism as the employees are content with their working lives Lower levels of staff turnover (the number of employees leaving the business). This can lead to lower training and recruitment costs Improved industrial relations with trade unions Contented workers give the firm a good reputation as an employer so making it easier to recruit the best workers Motivated employees are likely to improve product quality or the customer service associated with a product

employee motivation
principles of improving employee motivation and empowerment
This article provides a structure and tips for creating an employee motivation survey questionnaire, and also the principles of employee motivation and empowerment in organizations. See also the related theory article about individual motivation. This organizational motivation article is provided by the motivational expert and writer Blaire Palmer, which is gratefully acknowledged. See also the free leadership test which can be used to test your own leadership ability, and also as a questionnaire/survey to assess leadership and motivation ability and effectiveness among managers and supervisors (MSWord format).

employee motivation questionnaires or surveys

Staff surveys are usually very helpful in establishing whether staff in your company are motivated and therefore performing to best effect. Aside from the information that questionnaires reveal, the process of involving and consulting with staff is hugely beneficial and motivational in its own right, (see the 'Hawthorne Effect'). Whilst your survey will be unique to your company, your staff issues, your industry and culture, some useful generic guidelines apply to most situations. Although not exhaustive, the following ten points may help you cover the relevant subject areas and help towards establishing facts rather than making assumptions about motivation when designing your own questionnaires on employee motivation.

ten tips for questionnaires on employee motivation 1. What is the 'primary aim' of your company?
Your employees may be more motivated if they understand the primary aim of your business. Ask questions to establish how clear they are about your company's principles, priorities and mission.

2. What obstacles stop employees performing to best effect?

Questionnaires on employee motivation should include questions about what employees are tolerating in their work and home lives. The company can eliminate practices that zap motivation.

3. What really motivates your staff?

It is often assumed that all people are motivated by the same things. Actually we are motivated by a whole range of factors. Include questions to elicit what really motivates employees, including learning about their values. Are they motivated by financial rewards, status, praise and acknowledgment, competition, job security, public recognition, fear, perfectionism, results...

4. Do employees feel empowered?

Do your employees feel they have job descriptions that give them some autonomy and allow them to find their own solutions or are they given a list of tasks to perform and simply told what to do?

5. Are there any recent changes in the company that might have affected motivation?
If your company has made redundancies, imposed a recruitment freeze or lost a number of key people this will have an effect on motivation. Collect information from employees about their fears, thoughts and concerns relating to these events. Even if they are unfounded, treat them with respect and honesty.

6. What are the patterns of motivation in your company?

Who is most motivated and why? What lessons can you learn from patches of high and low motivation in your company?

7. Are employee goals and company goals aligned?

First, the company needs to establish how it wants individuals to spend their time based on what is most valuable. Secondly this needs to be compared with how individuals

actually spend their time. You may find employees are highly motivated but about the "wrong" priorities.

8. How do employees feel about the company?

Do they feel safe, loyal, valued and taken care of? Or do they feel taken advantage of, dispensable and invisible? Ask them what would improve their loyalty and commitment.

9. How involved are employees in company development?

Do they feel listened to and heard? Are they consulted? And, if they are consulted, are their opinions taken seriously? Are there regular opportunities for them to give feedback?

10. Is the company's internal image consistent with its external one?
Your company may present itself to the world as the 'caring airline', 'the forward thinking technology company' or the 'family hotel chain'. Your employees would have been influenced, and their expectations set, to this image when they joined your company. If you do not mirror this image within your company in the way you treat employees you may notice motivation problems. Find out what the disparity is between the employees image of the company from the outside and from the inside. Blaire Palmer 2004-7.

tips on structure, format and style of employee questionnaires

Use the questionnaire guidelines above when creating content and subject matter for your employee motivation and satisfaction questionnaires and surveys. Here are some additional tips about questionnaires and surveys structure, format and style: Create a clear, readable 'inviting' structure. Use 'white-out' boxes for answers, scores, and for check-boxes, which clearly show the parts which need completing. Use a clear 11 or 12 point (font) typeface. 10 point is difficult to read for some people. Avoid italics and fancy graphics - they just make the document more difficult and more timeconsuming to read. Look at the writing tips and techniques for other useful pointers in

creating good printed communications. Apply the same principles if your survey questionnaire form is online (ie., screen-based). Where possible try to use specific questions with multiple-choice answers, rather than general 'open-ended' questions. Specific questions improve clarity and consistency of understanding among respondents, and a multiple-choice format enables the answers to be converted into scores which can be loaded into a spreadsheet and very easily analysed. General or vague questions on the other hand tend to lead to varying interpretation (or confusion) among respondents; also, by inviting an open-ended answer you will generate lots of narrative-based and subjective opinions, which might be very interesting, but will be very time-consuming to read, and even more timeconsuming to analyse, especially if you are surveying a large group of employees. Here is an example: Open-ended question: What do you think of the Performance Appraisal System? (This will produce varied narrative responses = difficult to analyse.) Multiple-choice question: Rate the effectiveness of the Performance Appraisal System in providing you with clear and agreed training and development: Good/Okay/Not Good/Poor (By asking respondents to check boxes or delete as necessary the multiple-choice answers will produce extremely clear answers to a specific question that can be converted into scores and very easily analysed) Use four options in multiple-choice questions rather than three or five. Three and five options typically offer a middle 'don't know' or 'average' selection. Using four, with no middle cop-out will ensure that everybody decides one way or the other: satisfactory or not, which is what you need to know. Mid-way 'average' non-committal answers are not helpful, so avoid giving respondents that option. If you go to the trouble of creating, managing and analysing a huge staff survey surely it's a good idea to produce as much meaningful data as possible. Certain questions are suitable for numerical or percentage scoring by respondents, in which case use such a system (again ensure you avoid offering scores which equate to 'average' or 'don't know'). For example: Score-based question: Score the extent to which you enjoy your work: 1-5 = don't enjoy, 6-10 = enjoy. (By providing a clear differentiation between do and don't, this 1-10 scoring system gives a wide range of choices, and at the same time a clear result.) Check with a sample of respondents that they understand the draft questions in the way you intend, before you print and issue the questionnaire to all six hundred or however many staff. Designing questionnaires and communications in isolation can produce strange results - not just politicians get out of touch - so check you are actually on the same planet, in terms of your aims, language and meaning, as the people whose views you seek.

Make sure you explain to all staff beforehand that you'll be publishing the survey findings, and then afterwards ensure you do so. And then act on the findings. If your MD/CEO is not fully behind your initiative, then go work for a different company whose MD/CEO properly supports the concept of consulting the folk whose efforts underpin his success (not to mention his share options, second home and Porsche etc.) Allow people to complete the survey questionnaires anonymously. If helpful to you and you have a purpose for doing so, you can ask people to identify which department/region/office they belong to, assuming such information is genuinely useful to you and you can handle the analysis. KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. Break complex questions into digestible parts. Keep the survey to a sensible length - probably 20 minutes to complete it is a sensible limit of most people's tolerance. You can always follow up later in the year with another survey, especially if people enjoy completing it, and they see that the feedback and analysis process is helpful to them as well as the employer (see the point about MD/CEO support above). By all means at the end of the questionnaire invite and allow space for 'any other comments', or better still try to guide respondents towards a particular question. On which point, wherever it is necessary to ask an open-ended question, use the words 'what' and 'how' rather than 'why', if you want to discover motives and reasons. What and How will focus respondents on the facts objectively, whereas 'why' tends to focus respondents on defending themselves. Examples: It's okay to ask: What factors could be changed to help staff enjoy their work more in the XYZ depot? Whereas it's not very clever to ask: Why is there such a crap attitude among staff at XYZ depot? The second example is daft of course, but you see the point.

managing (just), or leading?

In this excellent guide article by motivation expert Blaire Palmer, ten central points (for some, myths) of employee motivation are exposed and explained, many with real case study references and examples.

employee motivation principles - a short case study - sounds familiar?

When Michael started his own consultancy he employed top people; people he'd worked with in the past who had shown commitment, flair and loyalty and who seemed to share his values. But a few months down the line one of his team members started to struggle. Jo was putting in the hours but without enthusiasm. Her confidence was dropping; she was unfocused and not bringing in enough new business. Michael explained to Jo the seriousness of the situation. Without new business he would lose the company and that would mean her job. He showed her the books to illustrate his point. He again ran through her job description and the procedures she was expected to follow. He told her that he was sure she was up to the job but he really needed her to bring in the new business or they would all be out on their ear. Jo told Michael that she understood. She was doing her best but she'd try harder. But a month later nothing had changed. After an initial burst of energy, Jo was back to her old ways. No matter how experienced a leader you are, chances are at times you have struggled to motivate certain individuals. You've tried every trick in the book. You've sat down one-to-one with the individual concerned and explained the situation. You've outlined the big vision again in the hope of inspiring them. You've given them the bottom line: "Either you pull your finger out or your job is on the line". You've dangled a carrot in front of them: "If you make your targets you'll get a great bonus". And sometimes it works. But not every time. And there have been casualties. Ultimately if someone can't get the job done they have to go. The granddaddy of motivation theory, Frederick Herzberg, called traditional motivation strategies 'KITA' (something similar to Kick In The Pants). He used the analogy of a dog. When the master wants his dog to move he either gives it a nudge from behind, in which case the dog moves because it doesn't have much choice, or he offers it a treat as an inducement, in which case it is not so much motivated by wanting to move as by wanting choc drops! KITA does the job (though arguably not sustainably) but it's hard work. It means every time you want the dog to move you have to kick it (metaphorically). Wouldn't it be better if the dog wanted to move by itself? Transferring this principle back in to the workplace, most motivation strategies are 'push' or 'pull' based. They are about keeping people moving either with a kick from behind (threats, fear, tough targets, complicated systems to check people follow a procedure) or by offering choc drops (bonuses, grand presentations of the vision, conferences, campaigns, initiatives, etc).

10 management motivation examples to illustrate that there are better ways to motivate employees
Blaire Palmer's experience has enabled her to work with a wide range of individuals and groups from a variety of backgrounds. Some of these people are highly motivated themselves, but struggle to extend this state of mind to the people they manage. Other people are at the receiving end of KITA motivation strategies that (obviously) aren't working on them. These people know they 'should' be more engaged with their work. Sometimes they fake it for a few months but it's not sustainable. In this paper Blaire identifies some common assumptions about motivation and presents some new paradigms that can help motivate more effectively. By adding these coaching tools and motivation principles to your capabilities you should find the job of leading those around you, and/or helping others to do the same, more of a joyful and rewarding activity. Instead of spending all your time and energy pushing and cajoling (in the belief that your people's motivation must come from you) you will be able to focus on leading your team, and enabling them to achieve their full potential - themselves. Ultimately, motivation must come from within each person. No leader is ever the single and continuing source of motivation for a person. While the leader's encouragement, support, inspiration, and example will at times motivate followers, the leader's greatest role in motivating is to recognise people for who they are, and to help them find their own way forward by making best use of their own strengths and abilities. In this way, achievement, development, and recognition will all come quite naturally to the person, and it is these things which are the true fuels of personal motivation. By necessity these case studies initially include some negative references and examples, which I would urge you to see for what they are. How not to do things, and negative references, don't normally represent a great platform for learning and development. In life it's so important always to try to accentuate the positive - to encourage positive visualisation - so, see the negatives for what they are; silly daft old ways that fail, and focus on the the positives in each of these examples. There are very many.

motivation example 1 - 'everyone is like me'

One of the most common assumptions we make is that the individuals who work for us are motivated by the same factors as us. Perhaps you are motivated by loyalty to the company, enjoying a challenge, proving yourself to others or making money. One great pitfall is to try to motivate others by focusing on what motivates you.

Marie, a director in her company, was being coached. She was a perfectionist. Every day she pushed herself to succeed and was rewarded with recognition from her peers. But she was unable to get the same standard of work from her team members. In the first few weeks of her coaching she would say, "If only people realised how important it was to put in 110% and how good it felt to get the acknowledgment, then they would start to feel more motivated". But it wasn't working. Instead people were starting to become resentful towards Marie's approach. Acknowledgment was a prime motivator for Marie so to help her consider some other options, she was helped to brainstorm what else might motivate people in their work. Marie's list grew: 'learning new skills', 'accomplishing a goal as part of a team', 'creativity', 'achieving work-life balance', 'financial rewards' and 'the adrenaline rush of working to tight deadlines'. Marie began to see that perhaps her team were indeed motivated - it was simply that the team members were motivated in a different ways to her own. If the leader can tap into and support the team members' own motivations then the leader begins to help people to realise their full potential.

motivation example 2 - 'no-one is like me'

Since the 1980's, research has shown that although we know that we are motivated by meaningful and satisfying work (which is supported by Herzberg's timeless theory on the subject, and virtually all sensible research ever since), we assume others are motivated mainly by financial rewards. Chip Heath, associate professor at Stanford University carried out research that found most people believe that others are motivated by 'extrinsic rewards', such as pay or job security, rather than 'intrinsic motivators', like a desire to learn new skills or to contribute to an organisation. Numerous surveys show that most people are motivated by intrinsic factors, and in this respect we are mostly all the same. Despite this, while many leaders recognise that their own motivation is driven by factors that have nothing to do with money, they make the mistake of assuming that their people are somehow different, and that money is central to their motivation. If leaders assume that their team members only care about their pay packet, or their car, or their monthly bonus, this inevitably produces a faulty and unsustainable motivational approach. Leaders must recognise that people are different only in so far as the different particular 'intrinsic' factor(s) which motivate each person, but in so far as we are all motivated by 'intrinsic' factors, we are all the same.

motivation example 3 - 'people don't listen to me'

When some people talk, nearly everyone listens: certain politicians, business leaders, entertainers; people we regard as high achievers. You probably know people a little like this too. You may not agree with what they say, but they have a presence, a tone of voice and a confidence that is unmistakable. Fundamentally these people are great sales-people. They can make an unmitigated disaster sound like an unqualified victory. But do you need to be like this to motivate and lead? Certainly not. Many people make the mistake of thinking that the only people who can lead others to success and achieve true excellence, and are the high-profile, charismatic, 'alpha-male/female' types. This is not true. James was a relatively successful salesman but he was never at the top of his team's league table. In coaching sessions he would wonder whether he would ever be as good as his more flamboyant and aggressive colleagues. James saw himself as a sensitive person and was concerned that he was too sensitive for the job. James was encouraged to look at how he could use his sensitivity to make more sales and beat his teammates. He reworked his sales pitch and instead of focusing his approach on the product, he based his initial approach on building rapport and asking questions. He made no attempt to 'sell'. Instead he listened to the challenges facing the people he called and asked them what kind of solution they were looking for. When he had earned their trust and established what they needed he would then describe his product. A character like James is also typically able to establish highly reliable and dependable processes for self-management, and for organising activities and resources, all of which are attributes that are extremely useful and valued in modern business. When he began to work according to his natural strengths, his sales figures went through the roof. Each of us has qualities that can be adapted to a leadership role and/or to achieve great success. Instead of acting the way we think others expect us to, we are more likely to get others behind us and to succeed if we tap in to our natural, authentic style of leadership and making things happen. The leader has a responsibility to facilitate this process.

motivation example 4 - 'some people can't be motivated'

While it's true that not everyone has the same motivational triggers, as already shown, the belief that some people cannot be motivated is what can lead to the unedifying 'pep-talk and sack them' cycle favoured by many X-Theory managers. Typically managers use conventional methods to inspire their teams, reminding them that they

are 'all in this together' or that they are 'working for the greater good' or that the management has 'complete faith in you', but when all this fails to make an impact the manager simply sighs and hands the troublesome employee the termination letter. The reality is that motivating some individuals does involve an investment of time. When his manager left the company, Bob was asked by the site director, Frank, to take over some extra responsibility. As well as administrative work he would be more involved in people management and report directly to Frank. Frank saw this as a promotion for Bob and assumed that he would be flattered and take to his new role with gusto. Instead Bob did little but complain. He felt he had too much to do, he didn't trust the new administrator brought in to lighten his workload, and he felt resentful that his extra responsibility hadn't come with extra pay. Frank was a good manager and told Bob that he simply had to be a little more organised, and that he (Frank) had complete belief in Bob to be able to handle this new challenge. But Bob remained sullen. So Frank took a different approach: He tried to see the situation from Bob's point of view. Bob enjoyed his social life, but was no longer able to leave the office at 5pm. Bob was dedicated to doing a good job, but was not particularly ambitious, so promotion meant little to him. Bob was also expected to work more closely now with a colleague with whom he clashed. Then Frank looked at how Bob might perceive him as his boss. He realised Bob probably thought Frank's hands-off management style meant he didn't care. To Bob it might look as if Frank took no direct interest except when he found fault. Finally, Frank looked at the situation Bob was in to see if there was anything bringing out the worst in him. He realised two weeks of every month were effectively 'down-time' for Bob, followed by two weeks where he was overloaded with work. Having set aside his assumptions about Bob and armed with a more complete picture from Bob's point of view, Frank arranged for the two of them to meet to discuss a way forward. Now the two were able to look at the real situation, and to find a workable way forward. While there is no guarantee that this approach will always work, 'seeking to understand', as Stephen Covey's 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' puts it, is generally a better first step than 'seeking to be understood'. It's easier to help someone when you see things from their point of view.

motivation example 5 - 'but I am listening'

We are always told how valuable listening is as a leadership tool and encouraged to do more of it. So, when we remember, we listen really hard, trying to catch every detail of what is being said and maybe follow up with a question to show that we caught everything. This is certainly important. Checking your email, thinking about last night's

big game and planning your weekend certainly stop you from hearing what is being said. But there is another important aspect to listening and that is: Listening Without Judgement. Often when an employee tells us why they are lacking motivation we are busy internally making notes about what is wrong with what they are saying. This is pre-judging. It is not listening properly. Really listening properly means shutting off the voice in your head that is already planning your counter-argument, so that you can actually hear, understand and interpret what you are being told. See the principles of empathy. This is not to say that 'the employee is always right', but only when you can really understand the other person's perception of the situation are you be able to help them develop a strategy that works for them. Listening is about understanding how the other person feels - beyond merely the words that they say.

motivation example 6 - 'if they leave I've failed'

What happens if, at their meeting, Bob admits to Frank that he doesn't see his future with that company? What if he says the main reason he is demotivated is that he isn't really suited to the company culture, and would be happier elsewhere? Has Frank failed? Not necessarily. It's becoming more widely accepted that the right and sustainable approach is to help individual employees to tap in to their true motivators and understand their core values. Katherine Benziger's methodologies are rooted in this philosophy: Employees who 'falsify type' (ie., behave unnaturally in order to satisfy external rather than internal motives and drivers) are unhappy, stressed, and are unable to sustain good performance. Effort should be focused on helping people to align company goals with individual aspirations. Look at Adam's Equity Theory to help understand the complexity of personal motivation and goals alignment. Motivation and goals cannot be imposed from outside by a boss - motivation and goals must be determined from within the person, mindful of internal needs, and external opportunities and rewards. Sometimes the person and the company are simply unsuited. In a different culture, industry, role or team that individual would be energised and dedicated, whereas in the present environment the same person doesn't fit.

Sometimes 'success' doesn't look the way we expect it to. A successful outcome for an individual and for a company may be that a demotivated person, having identified what sort of work and environment would suit them better, leaves to find their ideal job elsewhere. You succeed as a leader by helping and enabling people to reach their potential and to achieve fulfilment. If their needs and abilities could be of far greater value elsewhere, let them go; don't force them to stay out of loyalty. Helping them identify and find a more fitting role elsewhere not only benefits you and them - it also enables you to find a replacement who is really suited and dedicated to the job. True leaders care about the other person's interests - not just your own interests and the interests of your organization.

motivation example 7 - 'the same factors that demotivate, motivate'

When asked what brought about lack of motivation at work, the majority of people in research carried out by Herzberg blamed 'hygiene factors' such as working conditions, salary and company policy. When asked what motivated them they gave answers such as 'the sense of achievement', 'recognition', 'the opportunity to grow and advance' and 'greater responsibility'. Herzberg's findings about human motivation have been tested and proven time and gain. His theory, and others like it, tell us that the factors that demotivate do not necessarily motivate when reversed. The conventional solution to dissatisfaction over pay levels would be to increase pay in the belief that people would then work harder and be more motivated. However, this research shows that whilst increasing wages, improving job security and positive working relationships have a marginal impact, the main factors that characterise extreme satisfaction at work are: achievement, recognition, interesting work, responsibility, advancement and growth. So it follows that leaders who focus on these aspects - people's true motivational needs and values - are the true leaders. Help people to enrich their work and you will truly motivate.

motivation example 8 - 'people will rise to tough challenges'

Many managers hope to motivate by setting their people challenging targets. They believe that raising the bar higher and higher is what motivates. Tracey was an effective and conscientious account manager. Her boss habitually set her increasingly tough objectives, which Tracey generally achieved. However, in achieving her targets last month Tracey worked several eighteen-hour days, travelled extensively overseas, and had not had a single weekend break. Sometimes Tracey would mention to her boss that the effort was taking its toll on her health and happiness. When Tracey handed in her latest monthly report, her boss said, 'You see? It's worth all the hard work. So, don't complain about it again.' Her boss's belief was that Tracey would get a sense of satisfaction from completing an almost impossible workload. He was relying on her sense of duty - which she had in bucket-loads - to get the job done. But this is the KITA style of motivation. It doesn't really acknowledge a dedication to the job or a sense of pride. Its leverage or 'motivation' is simply a lack of choice. Job enlargement is different to Job enhancement. Herzberg's research shows that improving the 'meaningfulness' of a job (see also motivation example 7) has the motivational impact, not simply increasing the amount of pressure or volume of the tasks. Achievement for achievement's sake is no basis for motivation - a person's quality of life must benefit too.

motivation example 9 - 'I tried it and it didn't work'

When you try new things - new motivational ideas, especially which affect relationships and feelings - it is normal for things initially to get a little worse. Change can be a little unsettling at first. But keep the faith. People are naturally sceptical of unconventional motivational approaches. They may wonder why you have suddenly taken such an interest in them. They may feel you are giving them too much responsibility or be concerned that changes in the way they work may lead to job losses. Herzberg's research is among other evidence, and modern experience, that after an initial drop in performance, people quickly adjust and respond to more progressive management and motivational attitudes. Supporting and coaching people through this stage of early doubt is vital. Encourage and help people to grow and develop, and performance improvement is inevitable.

motivation example 10 - 'this type of motivation takes too much time'

If you've absorbed the ideas above, you might wonder where you would find the time to motivate people using these approaches. It is true that this style of leadership, sustainable motivation, commitment and focus is in the beginning more time consuming than 'KITA' methods; this is bound to be, since KITA methods require far less thought. Engaging fully with your staff, understanding their wants, desires and values, getting to know them as individuals and developing strategies that achieve a continuous release of energy is more intensive and takes time to work. But consider the advantages. This investment of time means you will eventually have less to do. Instead of constantly urging your people along and having to solve all the problems yourself, you'll be the leader of a group performing at a higher level of ability and productivity, giving you the chance to step back from fire-fighting and to consider the bigger picture. Herzberg was not alone in identifying that leaders need invest in the development of their teams, and also of their own successors. See also the principles of the Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum. Douglas McGregor's X-Y Theory is pretty central to all this too. So is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, from the individual growth perspective. Hersey's and Blanchard's Situation Leadership model also illustrates clearly how important team development is for leaders and organizations. And see also Bruce Tuckman's 'Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing' model. All of these renowned theories clearly demonstrate the need for teams, and the individuals within them, to be positively led and developed. Your responsibility as leader is to develop your team so that it can take on more and more of your own responsibility. A mature team should be virtully self-managing, leaving you free to concentrate on all the job-enhancing strategic aspects that you yourself need in order to keep motivated and developing.

motivational theory
employee motivation theory - team building activities, workshops, inspirational quotes, and the power of positive experience

Alignment of aims, purpose and values between staff, teams and organization is the most fundamental aspect of motivation. The better the alignment and personal association with organizational aims, the better the platform for motivation. Where people find it difficult to align and associate with the organizational aims, then most motivational ideas and activities will have a reduced level of success. Motivation is a complex area. It's different for each person. See the personality materials for useful explanation about different motivational needs. Erik Erikson's life stage theory is useful for understanding people's different motivational needs according to lafe stage. And the experiential learning section explains the difference between 'demotivational training', and 'motivational learning', and a guide to facilitating experiential learning activities. Motivational receptiveness and potential in everyone changes from day to day, from situation to situation. Get the alignment and values right, and motivational methods work better. Motivational methods of any sort will not work if people and organisation are not aligned. People are motivated towards something they can relate to and something they can believe in. Times have changed. People want more. You should view the following motivational methods and ideas as structures, activities and building blocks, to be used when you have a solid foundation in place. The foundation is a cohesive alignment of people's needs and values with the aims and purpose of the organization. Refer to the Psychological Contract, and people-organization alignment and motivation.

motivational methods and theory - assuming people and organization are aligned
Motivational and inspirational quotes, poems, posters, motivational speakers and stories, team building games and activities, all develop employee motivation for sales and business staff in all kinds of organizations. Motivational and inspirational experiences improve employees' attitudes, confidence and performance.

Good leadership demands good people-motivation skills and the use of inspirational techniques. Motivational methods are wide-ranging, from inspirational quotes and poems, to team building games and activities, as ice-breakers, warm-ups and exercises for conferences, workshops, meetings and events, which in themselves can often be helpful for staff motivation too. See the motivation principles and template for staff motivation questionnaires and surveys. Motivation is an essential part of life coaching processes and techniques too. Motivated people perform better - see McGregor's XY Theory for example. People playing games or competing in teams learn about each other, they communicate better and see each other in a new light. Mutual respect grows. See the Johari Window theory for example. People often enjoy events which include new non-work activities, especially when bosses and superiors take part in the same teams as their junior staff, which also helps cohesiveness and 'can-do' culture. Inspirational quotes, stories and poems all help motivation too. Powerful positive imagery stimulates visualisation in the conscious and sub-conscious brain, which encourages self-motivation, developmental behaviour, confidence and belief. Playing games enables people to experience winning and achieving in a way that their normal work might not. People become motivated to achieve and do better when they have experienced the feelings of success and achievement, regardless of context. This is why fire-walking and outward-bound activities have such powerful motivational effect. All of these ideas, and more explained below, contribute to improving motivation, inspiration and performance. Here is the theory of how team building games, activities like juggling develop motivation, positive images in quotes and stories, inspirational posters, quotations, motivational speakers, team workshops and brainstorming, etc., all help to strengthen relationships, build understanding, increase motivation and improve performance:

how games and other inspirational references and activities help motivation and motivational training

Work and business-based training commonly concentrates on process, rules, theory, structure and logic, all of which tend to develop and use the left-side of the brain. However, modern successful organizations rely just as heavily on their people having welldeveloped 'soft' skills and attributes, such as selfmotivation, confidence, initiative, empathy and creativity, which all tend to use the right-side of the brain. For more information about brain type and bias see the Benziger theory section, for example. Using games and activities like juggling helps to unleash right-side brain skills, because these activities necessarily draw on a person's intuitive, spatial and 'feeling' capabilities - found in the the right-side of the brain. See the section on Experiential Learning and the guide to facilitating experiential learning activities - it contains many of the principles explained here.

Thanks to Jim Barker

Also, using activities and references that take people out of their normal work environment creates new opportunities for them to experience winning, achievement, team-working, learning and personal development, in ways that are often not possible in their usual work context. Experiencing these positive feelings is vital for the conscious

and sub-conscious visualisation of success and achievement, essential for broadening people's horizons, raising their sights, setting new personal standards and goals, and increasing motivation. The use of role playing games and role play exercises is an especially effective motivational and visualisation technique, despite people's normal aversion to the practice (see the role playing games and activities tips to see how to manage role-playing activities successfully). Inspirational references, stories, quotes and examples also help the life coaching process.

ice-breakers and warm-ups for motivation

When a group or team of people assemble for a conference, or training course, there is always a feeling of uncertainty and discomfort. Even if people know each other, they feel uncomfortable in the new strange situation, because it is different. Mankind has evolved partly because of this awareness to potential threats and fear of the unknown. Games and team building activities relax people, so that they can fully concentrate on the main purpose of the day, whatever it is, rather than spending the morning still wondering what everyone else is thinking. See the stress theory section for examples. Activities and games are great levellers - they break down the barriers, and therefore help develop rapport and relationships.

building confidence for motivation

Learning something new and completely different liberates the mind. Facing a challenge, meeting it and mastering it helps build confidence.

motivational team building

When you break down barriers, misunderstandings, prejudices, insecurities, divisions, territories and hierarchies - you begin to build teams. Get a group of people in a room having fun with juggling balls or spinning plates and barriers are immediately removed. Teams unite and work together when they identify a common purpose - whether the aim is the tallest tower made out of newspapers, or a game of rounders on the park. Competition in teams or groups creates teams and ignites team effort.

motivational coaching and training motivation

Learning to juggle or some other new activity demonstrates how we learn, and how to coach others. Breaking new tasks down into stages, providing clear instructions, demonstration, practice, time and space to make mistakes, doing it one stage at a time..... all the essential training and coaching techniques can be shown, whether juggling is the vehicle or some other team-building idea, and the learning is clearer and

more memorable because it is taken out of the work context, where previously people 'can't see the wood for the trees'. Games and activities provide a perfect vehicle for explaining the training and development process ('train the trainer' for example) to managers, team leaders and trainers.

personal motivation styles and learning motivation

Everyone is different. Taking part in new games and activities outside of the work situation illustrates people's different strengths and working style preferences. Mutual respect develops when people see skills and attributes in others that they didn't know existed. Also, people work and learn in different ways, see the Kolb learning style model and Benziger thinking styles model for examples.

continual development and motivation

Learning and taking part in a completely new activity or game like juggling demonstrates that learning is ongoing. The lessons never finish, unless people decide to stop learning. Juggling the basic 'three ball cascade' pattern doesn't end there - it's just a start - as with all learning and development. Master juggler Enrico Rastelli practiced all the daylight hours juggling ten balls. Introducing people, staff or employees to new experiences opens their minds to new avenues of personal development, and emphasises the opportunity for continuous learning that is available to us all.

improving empathy and communications for motivation

"Seek first to understand, and then to be understood." (Steven Covey). See the Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People summary and review. To communicate we must understand the other person. Empathy and intuitive skills are right-side brain. Conventional classroom training or distance learning do nothing to address this vital area. Juggling and playing spontaneous or creative games definitely promote development and awareness in the right-side of the brain, which we use when we communicate and understand others. Team activities and games promote communications and better mutual understanding - essential for good organizational performance (see the Johari Window model and theory).

motivation and creativity

Creativity and initiative are crucial capabilities for modern organizational effectiveness. Juggling and other games activities dispel the notion that actions must be according to convention, and that response can only be to stimulus. Successful organizations have

staff that initiate, create, innovate, and find new ways to do things better, without being told. Using mind and body together in a completely new way encourages proactive thought and lateral thinking, which opens people's minds, and develops creative and initiative capabilities. See the brainstorming process, which integrates well with team building activities and workshops. See also the workshops process and ideas.

motivation for problem-solving and decisionmaking

Problem-solving is integral to decision-making - see the problem-solving and decisionmaking section. Learning to juggle or taking part in new challenging stimulating activities uses the intuitive brain to solve the problem, the same part that's vital for creatively solving work problems. People who can solve problems creatively can make decisions - and organizations need their staff and employees to have these abilities.

physical activity is motivational

Team building activities like juggling, construction exercises, or outdoor games, get the body moving, which is good for general health and for an energetic approach to work. A minute of juggling three balls is 200 throws, the equivalent of pumping over 20 kilos. Physical activity also provides significant stress relief, and stress management is part of every organisation's duty of care towards its employees. People concentrate and work better when they have had some light exercise and physical stimulus. Physical activity energises people and reduces stress and tension. See details on the stress section.

team building workshops are empowering and motivational

See the section on workshops. Workshops are good vehicles for team building games and activities, and also great for achieving team consensus, collective problem-solving, developing new direction and strategy, and to support the delegation and team development process (see the Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum for example).

team building games and activities are motivational

Learning new things - even simple skills like plate-spinning - help to build confidence, promote team-working and unleash creativity. Taking part in workshops and brainstorming sessions are empowering activities. Combine all three and it's even more effective for team building, development and motivation. See particularly the 'Hellespont Swim' case study and exercise.

If you think about it, all manner of left-side-brain conventional training and business skills can be integrated within an innovative, participative right-side-brain activitybased approach, to increase interest, participation, involvement, retention and motivation.

saying thanks is hugely motivational

Saying thanks and giving praise are the most commonly overlooked and underestimated ways of motivating people. And it's so easy. Saying thanks is best said naturally and from the heart, so if your intentions are right you will not go far wrong. When you look someone in the eye and thank them sincerely it means a lot. In front of other people even more so. The key words are the ones which say thanks and well done for doing a great job, especially where the words recognise each person's own special ability, quality, contribution, effort, whatever. People always appreciate sincere thanks, and they appreciate being valued as an individual even more. When you next have the chance to thank your team or an individual team-member, take the time to find out a special thing that each person has done and make a point of mentioning these things. Doing this, the praise tends to carry even greater meaning and motivational effect.

motivational quotes - using inspirational quotations and sayings is motivational

Inspirational quotations, and amusing maxims and sayings are motivational when used in team building sessions, conferences, speeches and training courses. Inspirational quotes contribute to motivation because they provide examples and role models, and prompt visualization. Inspirational quotes stimulate images and feelings in the brain both consciously and unconsciously. Powerful positive imagery found in motivational quotations and poems is genuinely motivational for people, individually and in teams, and can help to build confidence and belief. Inspirational examples motivate people in the same way that the simple 'power of positive thinking', and 'accentuate the positive' techniques do - people imagine and visualise themselves behaving in the way described in the quotation, saying, story or poem. Visualization is a powerful motivational tool - quotes, stories and poems provide a very effective method for inspiring and motivating people through visualization, imagination and association. See the stories section, and 'If', Rudyard Kipling's famous inspirational poem. Here are a few motivational quotes, relating to different situations and roles, for example; achievement, management, leadership, etc. When using quote for motivation it's important to choose material that's relevant and appropriate. Motivational posters showing inspirational quotes or poems can be effective for staff and employee motivation, and in establishing organizational values. There are more quotations about inspiration and achievement on the quotes section. These quotes all make effective

motivational posters (see the free posters page), and are excellent materials for motivational speakers:

motivational quotes
"We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them." (Albert Einstein) "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." (President Harry S Truman) "In the midst of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." (Albert Camus, 1913 - 1960, French author & philosopher) "If you're not part of the solution you must be part of the problem." (the commonly paraphrased version of the original quote: "What we're saying today is that you're either part of the solution, or you're part of the problem" by Eldridge Cleaver 1935-98, founder member and information minister of the Black Panthers, American political activist group, in a speech in 1968 - thanks RVP) "A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline." (Harvey Mackay - thanks Brad Hanson) "I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles overcome while trying to succeed." (Booker T Washington, 1856-1915, American Educator and African-American spokesman, thanks for quote M Kincaid, and for biography correction M Yates and A Chatterjee) "Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you." (William James, American Philosopher, 1842-1910 - thanks Jean Stevens) "Whatever you can do - or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer, 1749-1832 - thanks Yvonne Bent) "A dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant may see farther than the giant himself." (Didacus Stella, circa AD60 - and, as a matter of interest, abridged on the edge of an English 2 coin) "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." (Sir Isaac Newton, 1676.) "The most important thing in life is not to capitalise on your successes - any fool can do that. The really important thing is to profit from your mistakes." (William Bolitho, from 'Twelve against the Gods') "Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be, For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud: Under the bludgeonings of chance my head is bloody but unbowed . . . . . It matters not how strait the gait, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." (WE Henley, 1849-1903, from 'Invictus') "Management means helping people to get the best out of themselves, not organising things." (Lauren Appley) "It's not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with the sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause and who, at best knows the triumph of high achievement and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." (Theodore Roosevelt, 23 April 1923.) "The world is divided into people who do things, and people who get the credit. Try, if you can, to belong to the first class. There's far less competition." (Dwight Morrow, 1935.) "What does not kill us makes us stronger." (attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche, probably based on his words: "Out of life's school of war: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." from The Twilight of the Idols, 1899) "A life spent in making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." (George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950.) "I praise loudly. I blame softly." (Catherine the Great, 1729-1796.) More are on the inspirational quotes page, and a more varied selection including funny sayings are on the sayings and maxims page.

motivational ideas for sales managers for sales teams

(These principles are applicable to all job roles subject to the notes at the end of this item.)

Motivation of sales people commonly focuses on sales results, but nobody can actually 'do' a result. What matters in achieving results is people's attitude and activity and the areas of opportunity on which the attitude and activity is directed. What sales people can do is to adopt a positive and creative attitude, and carry out more productive and efficient activity, directed on higher-yield strategic opportunities. By doing these things sales people and sales teams will improve their results. However the tendency remains for sales managers, sales supervisors and team leaders (typically under pressure from above from executives who should know better) to simply direct people to 'meet the target', or to 'increase sales', or worse still, to pressurise customers into accelerating decision-making, which might work in the shortterm but is extremely unhelpful in the medium-term (when business brought forward leaves gaps in the next months' forecasts), and damages the long-term (when as a result of supplier-driven sales pressure, the customer relationship is undermined or ruined). Instead think about what really motivates and excites people, and focus on offering these opportunities to sales people and sales teams, on an ongoing basis. Don't wait until you find yourself 25% behind target with only half of the year remaining, and with targets set to increase as well in the final quarter. People will not generally and sustainably improve their performance, or attitude when they are shouted at or given a kick up the backside. People will on the other hand generally improve their performance if empowered to develop their own strategic capability and responsibility within the organisation. Herzberg, Adams, Handy, Maslow, McGregor, and every other management and motivation expert confirmed all this long ago. Sales teams generally comprise people who seek greater responsibility. They also seek recognition, achievement, self-development and advancement. So if we know these things does it not make good sense to offer these opportunities to them, because we know that doing so will have a motivational effect on them, and also encourage them to work on opportunities that are likely to produce increasing returns on their efforts? Of course. So do it. If you are managing a sales team try (gently and progressively) exploring with the team how they'd like to develop their experience, responsibilities, roles, status, value, contribution, within the business. Include yourself in this. Usually far more ideas and activity come from focusing on how the people would like to develop their roles and value (in terms of the scale and sophistication of the business that they are responsible for), rather than confining sales people to a role that is imposed on them and which is unlikely to offer sustainable interest and stimulation. All businesses have many opportunities for new strategic growth available. Yours will be no different.

Most employees are capable of working at a far higher strategic level, developing ever greater returns on their own efforts. Performance improvement is generally found through enabling people and teams to discover and refine more productive and strategic opportunities, which will lead to more productive and motivating activities. For example: reactive sales people are generally able to be proactive account mangers; account managers are generally able to be major accounts developers; major accounts developers are generally able to be national accounts managers; national accounts mangers are generally able to be strategic partner and channel developers; strategic partner and channel managers are generally able to be new business sector/service developers, and so on... Again include yourself in this. If necessary (depending on your organisational culture and policies seek approval from your own management/executives for you to embark on this sort of exploration of strategic growth. (If you are unable to gain approval there are many other organisations out there who need people to manage sales teams in this way....) Obviously part of the approach (and your agreement with your people - the 'psychological contract') necessarily includes maintaining and meeting existing basic business performance target levels. This is especially so since strategic growth takes time, and your business still needs the normal day-to-day business handled properly. But people can generally do this, ie., maintain and grow day-to-day performance while additionally developing new higher-level strategic areas, because genuinely motivated people are capable of dramatic achievements. The motivation and capacity to do will come quite naturally from the new responsibility and empowerment to operate at a higher level. N.B. The principles described above generally apply to most other job roles. People are motivated by growth and extra responsibility, while at the same time the organisation benefits from having its people focus on higher strategic aims and activities. Be aware however that people in different roles will be motivated by different things, and particularly will require different types of support and guidelines when being encouraged to work at a higher strategic level. For example, engineers require more detail and clarification of expectations and process than sales people typically do; administrators are likely to require more reassurance and support in approaching change than sales people typically do. For sure you should encourage and enable people to develop their roles, but make sure you give appropriate explanation, management and support for the types of people concerned. Here are some classic motivation books, all related to motivational theories featured on this website.

the psychological contract

the theory of psychological contracts in organizational employment - and wider 'psychological contracting' in relationships, communications and societies
'The Psychological Contract' is an increasingly relevant aspect of workplace relationships and wider human behaviour. Descriptions and definitions of the Psychological Contract first emerged in the 1960s, notably in the work of organizational and behavioural theorists Chris Argyris and Edgar Schein. Many other experts have contributed ideas to the subject since then, and continue to do so, either specifically focusing on the the Psychological Contract, or approaching it from a particular perspective, of which there are many. The Psychological Contract is a deep and varied concept and is open to a wide range of interpretations and theoretical studies. Primarily, the Psychological Contract refers to the relationship between an employer and its employees, and specifically concerns mutual expectations of inputs and outcomes. The Psychological Contract is usually seen from the standpoint or feelings of employees, although a full appreciation requires it to be understood from both sides. Simply, in an employment context, the Psychological Contract is the fairness or balance (typically as perceived by the employee) between:
y y

how the employee is treated by the employer, and what the employee puts into the job.

The words 'employees' or 'staff' or 'workforce' are equally appropriate in the above description. At a deeper level the concept becomes increasingly complex and significant in work and management - especially in change management and in large organizations. Interestingly the theory and principles of the Psychological Contract can also be applied beyond the employment situation to human relationships and wider society. Unlike many traditional theories of management and behaviour, the Psychological Contract and its surrounding ideas are still quite fluid; they are yet to be fully defined and understood, and are far from widely recognised and used in organizations.

The concept of 'psychological contracting' is even less well understood in other parts of society where people and organisations connect, despite its significance and potential usefulness. Hopefully what follows will encourage you to advance the appreciation and application of its important principles, in whatever way makes sense to you. It is a hugely fertile and potentially beneficial area of study. At the heart of the Psychological Contract is a philosophy - not a process or a tool or a formula. This reflects its deeply significant, changing and dynamic nature. The way we define and manage the Psychological Contract, and how we understand and apply its underpinning principles in our relationships - inside and outside of work essentially defines our humanity. Respect, compassion, trust, empathy, fairness, objectivity - qualities like these characterize the Psychological Contract, just as they characterize a civilized outlook to life as a whole.

Please note that both UK-English and US-English spellings may appear for certain terms on this website, for example organization/organisation, behavior/behaviour, etc. When using these materials please adapt the spellings to suit your own situation.

the psychological contract - index

Definitions and usage of the term 'the Psychological Contract' Psychological Contract diagrams and models - Venn diagram and 'Iceberg' model diagram Context and implications of the Psychological Contract - its meaning and effects Increasing complexity of the Psychological Contract - how work/life has changed, especially since the 1980s Leadership transparency - significance to the Psychological Contract Change management and the Psychological Contract 'Selling' changes to people, and relevance to the Psychological Contract Empathy and the Psychological Contract 'Virtuous Circles' and 'Vicious Circles' within the Psychological Contract - for example Openness of communications External and relative factors within the Psychological Contract - for example Generational factors

Additional and deeper perspectives of the Psychological Contract - extending its implications Transactional Analysis 'contracting' - helpful in understanding the wider concept The Psychological Contract - tool - process - working model? Summary

the psychological contract - definitions and usage

In management, economics and HR (human resources) the term 'the Psychological Contract' commonly and somewhat loosely refers to the actual - but unwritten expectations of an employee or workforce towards the employer. The Psychological Contract represents, in a basic sense, the obligations, rights, rewards, etc., that an employee believes he/she is 'owed' by his/her employer, in return for the employee's work and loyalty. This notion applies to a group of employees or a workforce, just as it may be seen applying to a single employee. This article refers to 'the organization' and 'leaders' and 'leadership', which broadly are the same thing in considering and describing the Psychological Contract. Leadership or 'the leader' is basically seen to represent the organization, and to reflect the aims and purposes of the owners of the organization. Leaders and leadership in this context refer to senior executive leaders or a chief executive, etc., not to team leaders or managers who (rightly) aspire to be leaders in the true sense of the word (covered under leadership, separately). (Organizational aims and purpose at a fundamental constitutional level have potentially deep implications within the Psychological Contract which are addressed later, notably under additional perspectives.) Where the term Psychological Contract is shown in books, articles, training materials, etc., it commonly appears as the Psychological Contract (capitalised first letters), but you might also see it in quote marks as the 'psychological contract', 'The Psychological Contract', or more modestly as the psychological contract, or sensible variations of these. Any is correct. The common tendency to capitalise the first letters - Psychological Contract - as if it were a uniquely significant thing (a 'proper noun') like we do for names and important things like Planet Earth or the Big Bang or Wednesday. Personally I think the Psychological Contract is very significant and unique, but it's a matter of personal choice.

Accordingly on this webpage, where the term applies to the employment situation, it is shown as the Psychological Contract, or the Contract. This also seeks to differentiate it from a more general sense of 'psychological contracting' or 'contracts' or 'contracting' in wider human communications, mutual understanding and relationships. The concept of the Psychological Contract within business, work and employment is extremely flexible and very difficult (if not practically impossible) to measure in usual ways, as we might for example benchmark salaries and pay against market rates, or responsibilities with qualifications, etc. It is rare for the plural form 'Psychological Contracts' to be used in relation to a single organization, even when applied to several employees, because the notion is of an understanding held by an individual or a group or people, unlike the existence of physical documents, as in the pluralized 'employment contracts' of several employees. The Psychological Contract is quite different to a physical contract or document - it represents the notion of 'relationship' or 'trust' or 'understanding' which can exist for one or a number of employees, instead of a tangible piece of paper or legal document which might be different from one employee to another. The singular 'Psychological Contract' also embodies very well the sense of collective or systemic feelings which apply strongly in workforces. While each individual almost certainly holds his or her own view of what the Psychological Contract means at a personal level, in organizational terms the collective view and actions of a whole workgroup or workforce are usually far more significant, and in practice the main focus of leadership is towards a collective or group situation. This is particularly necessary in large organizations where scale effectively prevents consideration of the full complexities and implications of the Psychological Contract on a person-by-person basis. That said, it is usual for the Psychological Contract to refer to one employee's relationship with an employer, or to an entire workforce's relationship with the employer. The term 'contracting' (lower-case 'c') in the context of communications is not clearly defined yet, and does not normally refer to the Psychological Contract. As discussed later 'contracting' does specifically refer broadly to 'agreeing mutual expectations' within Transactional Analysis (a specialised therapeutic or coaching/counselling methodology), and conceivably within other forms of therapy too. (TA 'contracting' is specifically described within modern TA theory.) The nature of the relationship in Transactional Analysis is somewhat different to that of employee and employer, although significantly the sense of agreeing mutual transparent expectations within Transactional Analysis is very similar in spirit and relevant to the Psychological Contract in employment.

The term 'psychological contracting' is not typically used in referring to the Psychological Contract in the workplace, but may arise in the context of therapy. It would be helpful to us all for this expression and its related theory, as an extension of the Transactional Analysis usage, to become more generally used in human communications and understanding. In life, relationships and communications generally operate on a very superficial level. Opportunities to explore, understand, explain and agree mutual expectations are largely ignored or neglected - mostly through fear or ignorance. It is a wonder that humans manage to cooperate at all given how differently two people, or two parties, can interpret a meaning, and yet be seemingly incapable of seeking or offering better transparency or clarity. The Psychological Contract is becoming a powerful concept in the work context. Potentially it is even more more powerful when we consider and apply its principles more widely.

definitions of the psychological contract

A basic definition of the Psychological Contract appears in Michael Armstrong's excellent Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice (10th Ed., 2006): "...the employment relationship consists of a unique combination of beliefs held by an individual and his employer about what they expect of one another..." Armstrong references Edgar Schein's 1965 definition of the Psychological Contract, as being (somewhat more vaguely) an implication that: "...there is an unwritten set of expectations operating at all times between every member of an organization and the various managers and others in that organization..." Armstrong highlights other references, within which these points are especially notable: "...Because psychological contracts represent how people interpret promises and commitments, both parties in the same employment relationship can have different views..." (DM Rousseau and KA Wade-Benzoni, 1994) "...a dynamic and reciprocal deal... New expectations are added over time as perceptions about the employer's commitment evolve... concerned with the social and emotional aspects of the exchange..." (PR Sparrow, 1999) Notice how those three definitions of the Psychological Contract cited by Armstrong progressively increase in their subtlety and sophistication. Schein's view reflects the early identification of the concept in the 1960s. Later Rousseau/Wade-Benzoni acknowledge the significance of different perceptions of employee and employer. Later still Sparrow recognises the dynamic quality, and the social and emotional factors. This is not to say the respective writers did not all in some way appreciate the depth of the concept; but it is a helpful illustration of the tendency for the conceptual thinking about the Psychological Contract to evolve, which

in part reflects the increasing complexity of the essential employer/employee relationship. The definition of the Psychological Contract on Wikipedia (April 2010) is: "A psychological contract represents the mutual beliefs, perceptions, and informal obligations between an employer and an employee. It sets the dynamics for the relationship and defines the detailed practicality of the work to be done. It is distinguishable from the formal written contract of employment which, for the most part, only identifies mutual duties and responsibilities in a generalized form." The UK Chartered Institute of Personal Development, which takes a keen interest in the concept of the Psychological Contract, defines the concept as follows (as at April 2010, in a paper revised in January 2009): "...It [the Psychological Contract] has been defined as ' the perceptions of the two parties, employee and employer, of what their mutual obligations are towards each other'. These obligations will often be informal and imprecise: they may be inferred from actions or from what has happened in the past, as well as from statements made by the employer, for example during the recruitment process or in performance appraisals. Some obligations may be seen as 'promises' and others as 'expectations'. The important thing is that they are believed by the employee to be part of the relationship with the employer..." The quoted extract in the above larger excerpt is referenced: 'Guest, D E and Conway, N. (2002) Pressure at work and the psychological contract. London: CIPD'. Professor David Guest of Kings College London is a leading figure in modern thinking about the Psychological Contract. You will see his ideas and models commonly referenced if you research the subject in depth. Within these referenced definitions you will see already that the concept is open to different interpretations, and has a number of complex dimensions, notably: 1. There are a series of mutual obligations on both sides (which include, crucially, intangible factors that can be impossible to measure conventionally). 2. It is a relationship between an employer on one side, and on the other side an employee and/or employees (which by implication distorts the notion of a formal contract between two fixed specified parties). 3. The obligations are partly or wholly subject to the perceptions of the two sides (which adds further complexities, because perceptions are very changeable, and as you will see, by their subjective 'feeling' and attitudinal nature perceptions create repeating cause/effect loops or vicious/virtuous circles, which are scientifically impossible to resolve).

4. Overall the Contract itself has a very changeable nature (being such a fluid thing itself, and being subject to so many potential influences, including social and emotional factors, which are not necessarily work-driven). 5. And an obvious point often overlooked, within any organization the Psychological Contract is almost never written or formalised, which makes it inherently difficult to manage, and especially difficult for employees and managers and executives and shareholders to relate to (the Psychological Contract is almost always a purely imaginary framework or understanding, which organizational leadership rarely prioritises as more real or manageable issues - or leadership regards the whole idea as some sort of fluffy HR nonsense, and anyway, "Let's not forget who's the boss... etc etc" - so that the whole thing remains unspoken, unwritten, and shrouded in mystery and uncertainty). Work used to be a relatively simple matter of hours or piece-rate in return for wages. It is a lot more complicated now, and so inevitably are the nature and implications of the Psychological Contract. At this point a couple of diagrams might be helpful..

psychological contracts models - diagrams

Much of the theory surrounding Psychological Contracts is intangible and difficult to represent in absolute measurable terms. Diagrams can be helpful in understanding and explaining intangible concepts. Here are a couple of diagram interpretations, offered here as useful models in understanding Psychological Contracts.

psychological contracts - venn diagram

Here is a Venn diagram representing quite a complex view of the Psychological Contract, significantly including external influences, which are often overlooked in attempting to appreciate and apply Psychological Contracts theory. Venn diagrams (devised c.1880 by British logician and philosopher John Venn, 1834-1923) are useful in representing all sorts of situations where two or more related areas interact or

interrelate. The Venn diagram below provides a simple interpretation of the factors and influences operating in Psychological Contracts.

In the Psychological Contract Venn diagram left vc = visible contract - the usual written employment contractual obligations on both sides to work safely and appropriately in return for a rate of pay or salary, usually holidays also, plus other employee rights of notice and duty of care. pc = psychological contract - which is hidden, unspoken, unwritten, and takes account of the relationship references (r) between employee and market (which includes other external factors), also the employer's relationship with the market (also r), and the visible contract (vc). Note that only the visible contract (vc) element is written and transparent. All the other sections are subject to perceptions

until/unless clarified. (For referencing purposes this diagram is an original interpretation of the Psychological Contracts concept and was published first on this website in May 2010.)

the psychological contracts 'iceberg' model

This Psychological Contracts 'iceberg' diagram below is a helpful way to illustrate some of the crucial aspects and influences within Psychological Contracts theory. For team-builders and trainers, and leaders too, it's also potentially a useful tool for explaining and exploring the concept and its personal meaning for people. An iceberg is said to be 90% hidden beneath the water. This metaphor fits the Psychological Contract very well, in which most of the Contract perceptions are unwritten and hidden, consistent with its definition. This is especially so for junior workers in old-fashioned 'X-Theory' autocratic organizations, where mutual expectations typically have little visibility and clarity. Here we might imagine that the iceberg is maybe 95% or 99% submerged. By contrast the Psychological Contract between a more modern enlightened employer and its employees, especially senior mature experienced and successful staff, is likely to be much more clearly understood and visible, with deeper inputs and rewards, formally and mutually agreed. Here the iceberg might be only 60% or 70% submerged. These percentage figures are not scientific - they merely explain the way the model works. The iceberg metaphor extends conveniently so that the 'sky' and the 'sea' represent external and market pressures acting on employee and employer, affecting the balance, and the rise or fall of the iceberg. As the iceberg rises with the success and experience of the employee, so does the contract value and written contractual expectations on both sides. Increasingly deeper inputs and rewards emerge from being hidden or confused perceptions below from the water-line, to become visible mutual contractual agreement above the water-line. The process can also operate in reverse, although in a healthy situation the natural wish of both sides is for the iceberg to rise. A quick key is alongside the diagram. A more detailed explanation is below the diagram. Here is a PDF version of the Psychological Contract iceberg diagram.

Note that this diagram is an example of a very basic employee/employer relationship in which only work and pay are formally agreed and contracted. In reality a representation of the Psychological Contract for most modern work relationships would include several more mutual obligations with work and pay 'above the water-line', i.e., formally contracted and agreed.

Left side of iceberg = employee inputs (and employer needs). Right side of iceberg = rewards given by employer (and employee needs). Above the water level: factors mostly visible and agreed by both sides. Work | Pay = visible written employment contract. Black arrows = mostly visible and clear market influences on the work and pay. Red arrows = iceberg rises with success and maturity, experience, etc., (bringing invisible perceived factors into the visible agreed contract). Below the water level: factors mostly perceived differently by both sides, or hidden, and not agreed. Left side of iceberg = examples of employee inputs, which equate to employer expectations informal, perceived and unwritten. Right side of iceberg = rewards examples and employee's expectations. Blue arrows = influences on employee

and employer affecting perceptions, mostly invisible or misunderstood by the other side.

(For referencing purposes this diagram is an original interpretation of the Psychological Contracts concept and was published first on this website in May 2010. Here is a PDF version of the Psychological Contract iceberg diagram.)

psychological contracts iceberg model explanation in detail

For ease of reference the diagram is repeated on the right. It's the same diagram. The left side of the iceberg represents the employee's inputs. These are also the employer's needs or expectations, which may be visible and contractually agreed, or informal, perceived, inferred, etc., and unwritten, or potential expectations depending on performance and opportunity, which not not necessarily apply to all employees/employers. The right side represents typical examples of rewards given by the employer. These are also the employee expectations or needs, which again may be visible and contractually agreed, or perceived, inferred, imagined, etc., in which case they would generally be unwritten. As with the left-side employee inputs, the right side of the iceberg also includes potential inputs which are not necessarily applicable to all employees/employers. In both cases 'below the water-line' factors are strongly a matter of perception until/unless brought out into the open and clarified. Perceptions from the employee's standpoint are crucial, which tend to differ markedly from the employer's perceptions, and also from the employer's methods of assessing such factors. For example the employee may vastly over-estimate the value of his/her contribution to organizational performance. The employer may vastly under-estimate the stress or erosion of life balance that the job causes to the employee.

The examples of factors on the iceberg are not exhaustive, and the sequences are not intended to be matched or directly reciprocating. Many other factors can apply. I have referred already to the importance of encouraging open communications, without which a leader will never discover what the iceberg looks like, let alone how to manage it. Above the water level - 'work and pay' - represents the basic employment contract - the traditional 'fair day's work for a fair day's pay'. This loosely equates to the 'vc' segment in the Venn diagram. This visible employment contract is typically the written contractual obligations on both sides. The iceberg diagram shows the the most basic work and pay exchange. In reality most workers are formally responsible for other inputs and are formally entitled to benefits beyond pay alone, so in this respect the iceberg here represents a very basic situation. The black arrows represent market influences on work and pay, especially including those that are specific to the employment situation, which are obvious, visible, and known, etc. These influences would include specifics such as market demand for and availability of people who can do the job concerned. This extends to market rates of pay and salary. The red arrows represent the tendency for the iceberg to rise with success and maturity in the job, and to a degree also in the success and maturity of the employer organization. More mature experienced and highachieving employees will tend to see their personal icebergs rising so that increasingly the hidden contractual factors become visible, and written into formal employment contracts, above the water-line, so to speak. Employees generally want the iceberg to rise. So do enlightened and progressive employers. They want the hidden unwritten aspects of the Psychological Contract which are below the surface to become applicable, and to be visible and formalised contractually. A rising iceberg signifies increasing employee contribution towards organizational performance, which is typically rewarded with increasingly deeper rewards and benefits. Below the water-line - the metaphorical 90% of the iceberg which is under the surface. These are the hidden

perceptions which strongly affect interpretation of the Psychological Contract, notably by the employee. These factors loosely equate to the 'pc' area of the Venn diagram. Where the Psychological Contract is very largely hidden perceptions and mutually unclear, then we can imagine the iceberg being more than 90% submerged. Where the Contract is healthier and clearer - for whatever reason - we can imagine the iceberg perhaps being only 60-70% submerged. Interestingly, in cooperatives and employee ownership organizations the iceberg model will tend to be (due to the nature of the employee ownership model) mostly out of the water, and perhaps even floating on top, as if by magic, which is a fascinating thought.. The sequential listing of factors shown below the waterline on both sides is not definitive or directly reciprocating (of equal values). The model provides a guide to the concept, not a scientific checklist of equally matched or balancing factors. That said, the diagram offers a broad indication of relative seriousness of the factors in both lists, with the deeper items representing the most serious potential inputs and rewards, which tend to be matched by deeper elements on the other side. Use the framework to map your own situation, rather than attempting to fit your own situation into the specific examples given. The blue arrows represent hidden factors influencing employee and employer and notably affecting their perceptions and attitudes to each other. These factors may be very visible to and clearly understood by one side but not to the other until/unless revealed and clarified in objective terms. Many hidden influences are not well understood by either side. Many of these factors change unpredictably, but many are relatively constant and can easily be clarified. Both sides may assume the other side already knows about these factors, or alternatively has not right to know about these factors. Some factors are hidden because they are difficult for anyone to understand or predict, but a great many others result simply from secrecy, borne of distrust or insecurity. Some employers and leaders will wonder how on earth all these hidden and subjective factors can possibly be

identified and balanced. In fact they can't in absolute terms; but they can be made far more transparent and agreed if management philosophy and methods strive for good open positive cooperation between employer and employees. Here is a PDF version of the Psychological Contract iceberg diagram. A healthy Psychological Contract is one where both sides agree that a fair balance of give and take exists. This is impossible to achieve where there are lots of hidden perceptions, so the first aim is to encourage greater openness and mutual awareness. Given greater awareness most people tend to take a more positive approach to compromise and working agreements. Various reference models help with this process, particularly the Johari Window, which is an excellent way to explore and expand mutual awareness. Employers, leaders, team-builders, etc., wanting to explore the Psychological Contract with staff could invite people to sketch what they think their own icebergs look like. And then compare the results with how the leadership sees the iceberg, and also how the leadership imagines its people see the Psychological Contract. It would be interesting and helpful within such an exercise to attempt to label some of the external factors and pressures (the black and blue arrows) - especially the blue ones below the water line on both sides.

the psychological contract - basic context and implications

In management and organizational theory many employee attitudes such as trust, faith, commitment, enthusiasm, and satisfaction depend heavily on a fair and balanced Psychological Contract. Where the Contract is regarded by employees to be broken or unfair, these vital yet largely intangible ingredients of good organizational performance can evaporate very quickly. Where the Psychological Contract is regarded by employees to be right and fair, these positive attitudes can thrive. The traditionally dominant and advantageous position of an employer compared to its workforce (or indeed of any other authority in relation to its followers, 'customers', or members, etc) means that the quality of the Psychological Contract is determined by the organizational leadership rather than its followers. An individual worker, or perhaps

a rebellious work-group could conceivably 'break' or abuse the Psychological Contract, but workers and followers under normal circumstances are almost always dependent on the organization's leadership for the quality of the Contract itself. This last point is intriguing, because in organizations such as employee ownership corporations and cooperatives, a different constitutional business model applies, in which workers and potentially customers own the organization and can therefore to a major extent - via suitable representational and management mechanisms - determine the nature and quality of the Psychological Contract, and a lot more besides. We see a glimpse here possibly as to how organizations (and other relationships involving leadership authority or governance) might be run more fairly and sustainably in future times. We live in hope. Intriguingly also, several factors within the Psychological Contract - for example employee satisfaction, tolerance, flexibility and well-being - are both causes and effects. Feelings and attitudes of employees are at the same time expectations (or outcomes or rewards), and also potential investments (or inputs or sacrifices). This reflects the fact that employee's feelings and attitudes act on two levels: 1. Employee feelings and attitudes are strongly influenced by their treatment at work (an aspect of the Psychological Contract), while at the same time, 2. Employee feelings and attitudes strongly influence how they see themselves and their relationship with the employer, and their behaviour towards the employer (also an aspect of the Psychological Contract). The simple message to employers from this - and a simple rule for managing this part of the Psychological Contract - is therefore to focus on helping employees to feel good and be happy, because this itself produces a healthier view of the Contract and other positive consequences. Less sensible employers who ignore the relevance of employee happiness - or the relevance of the Contract itself - invariably find that the Psychological Contract is viewed more negatively, and staff are generally less inclined to support and cooperate with the leadership. Aside from this, a major reason for the increasing significance of, and challenges posed by, the Psychological Contract is the rapid acceleration of change in business and organised work. This modern dramatic acceleration of change in organisations, and its deepening severity, began quite recently; probably in the 1980s. Some leaders do not yet understand this sort of change well, or how to manage it. Autocratic leaders, which we might define as 'X-Theory' in style, are probably less likely to appreciate the significance of the Psychological Contract and the benefits of

strengthening it. Modern enlightened people-oriented leaders, which we might regard as Y-Theory in style, are more likely to understand the concept and to develop a positive approach to it. (See McGregor's XY-Theory - it provides a helpful perspective.) An old-style autocratic X-Theory leader might say: "I pay the wages, so I decide the contract..." Here the Psychological Contract is unlikely to be particularly healthy, and could be an organizational threat or weakness. An enlightened Y-Theory leader is more likely to take the view: "People work for many and various reasons; the more we understand and meet these needs, the better and more loyally our people will perform..." Here the Psychological Contract is more likely to be fair and balanced, and is probably an organizational strength and even a competitive advantage. The most enlightened and progressive leaders will inevitably now find themselves considering the deeper issues of employee ownership and representational leadership.

the increasing complexity of the psychological contract

The nature, extent and complexity of the Psychological Contract are determined by the nature, extent and complexity of people's needs at work. Work needs are increasingly impacted by factors outside of work as well as those we naturally imagine arising inside work. People's lives today are richer, more varied, and far better informed and connected then ever. People are aware of more, they have more, and want more from life - and this outlook naturally expands their view of how work can help them achieve greater fulfilment. Work itself has become far more richly diverse and complicated too. The working world is very different to a generation ago. The employer/employee relationship - reflected in the Psychological Contract - has progressively grown in complexity, especially since workers have become more mobile and enabled by modern technology, and markets globalized. These changes began seriously in the 1980s. Prior to this many modern dimensions of work - such as mobile working, globalization, speed of change - were unusual, when now they are common. Below the grid gives examples of how work has changed. The watershed might have been the 1980s, or maybe the 90s, it depends on your interpretation; but the point is that sometime around the last two decades of the 20th century the world of work

changed more than it had changed since the Industrial Revolution, which incidentally was from about the late-1700s to mid-1800s. Globalization and technology in the late 20th century shifted everything we knew about organized work onto an entirely different level - especially in terms of complexity, rate of change, connectivity and the mobility of people and activities. There are also significant changes under way specifically involving attitudes to traditional corporations, markets and governance. Examples of extremely potent 'community' driven enterprises are emerging. Social connectivity and technological empowerment pose a real threat to old-style corporate models. Younger generations have seen the free market model and traditional capitalism fail, and fail young people particularly. Certain industries no longer need a massive hierarchical corporation to connect supply and demand. The significance and complexity of Psychological Contract have grown in response to all of these effects, and given that the world of work will continue change in very big ways, so the significance and complexity of the Contract will grow even more.

how work has changed since the 1980s

up to 1980s work teams factory/office working line management customer service in-house services job for life a life's work onsite services few employee rights low employee awareness employees isolated reliable pensions after 1980s virtual teams home/mobile-working matrix management call centres outsourcing and offshoring job for 2 years a career for 10 years online services many employee rights high employee awareness employees connected unreliable pensions

other issues: equality, discrimination, training, qualifications, sharesave, pensions, buy-to-let, 4x4s, telephone, letters, mainframe computers and terminals, subcontracting, employment contracts

other issues: lifebalance, sabbaticals, lifelong-learning, employee ownership, community, social enterprise, email, social networking, mobile web, globalization, the psychological contract

It is easy to understand given this dramatically shifted backdrop that people's relationships with their employers have altered a great deal. Just one of these factors would be sufficient alone to change substantially how employees relate to employers, and vice-versa - but all these features of work, and more besides, are now quite different to how they were a generation ago. This new shape of organized work is a fundamental driver of the nature of the Psychological Contract, and also of its significance for employers, especially during economic growth and buoyancy, when employees have more choice and flexibility compared to the relative power of employers during periods of recession. When considering the 'before-and-after' grid above in relation to the Psychological Contract the initial reaction can be to focus on the erosion of traditional outputs (benefits, rewards, etc) accruing to employees, such as job and career security, pensions, etc. Extending these issues, the tendency is to imagine that the changing nature of the Psychological Contract presents more of a challenge or threat to employees than employers. This is not necessarily so. The shifting world of work (and life beyond work) presents some threats to employers, and erosions of the employee inputs traditionally taken for granted by employers. The changes in work and life that continue to re-shape the Psychological Contract have a two-way effect; they present risks and opportunities (and advantages and disadvantages) to employers and employees alike. Notably, workers are increasingly mobile, flexible and adaptable - they no longer stay dutifully working for the same employer for as long as the employer needs them. Good workers can far more easily find alternative employment than twenty years ago. They are not limited to working in their local town, or region, or not even in the same country. In fact with modern technology geographical location is for many workers irrelevant, and will become more so. Also consider the connectivity of workers today. In past times, trade unions were the vehicle for people-power. Instead, increasingly today the vehicle is the internet and modern social networking, which enable awareness and mobilisation of groups of

people on an awesome level of sophistication and scale, the effects of which we are only beginning to witness. Modern technology, which the younger generations understand and exploit infinitely better than older people, is fantastically liberating for employees. Historically workers relied on employers for access to technology. In the future, employers will progressively depend on employees for its optimisation. Training and development was a big aspect of employer control. Employees depended on their employer to advance their learning and skills, and thereby their value in the employment market. This is no longer the case. Employees are progressively able to control their own learning and development, again through modern technology, and a new attitude of self-sufficiency is emerging, which we have never seen before. Leaders were historically focused on retaining customers. Increasingly they will have to focus just as much on retaining staff. A new generation of workers has grown up with no expectation of a job for life. They seek variety and change, where their parents sought routine and security. Moreover they have access to, and control over, substantial modern technologies which will continue to evolve in favour of the individual, rather than the organization. Leaders must therefore lead in a different way, if they are to retain the best people, and to develop better relationships and reputation among staff, customers and opinionformers. Interestingly there are still plenty of leaders (in business and wider governance) whose ideas of power and authority are a lot closer to the practices of the early industrialisation of work, than to the modern world. This may be so particularly in the UK, which is still dogged by old systems and attitudes of class and elitism. The signs are that much of this old thinking will be forced to change - and be reflected within the Psychological Contract - as people, at the level of employees, followers, citizens, customers, etc., become more empowered.

leadership transparency - or lack of..

This is worthy of separate note and emphasis because it's a big factor in organizations of all sorts. Lack of leadership transparency results from one or a number of reasons:
y

assumption by leadership that employees already know assumption by leadership that employees aren't interested, or are incapable of understanding

thoughtless leadership - not even considering transparency to be a possible issue belief by leadership that employees have no right to know a policy of secrecy - to hide facts for one reason or another

First let's put to one side those situations where a leadership intentionally withholds facts and operates secretively because it has something to hide. Achieving a healthy Psychological Contract will neither be an aim or a possibility for such employers. More commonly in other situations, lack of transparency exists due to leadership negligence, fear or insecurity, or simply a lazy old-fashioned 'X-Theory' culture, all of which can be resolved with a bit of thought and effort, and which can produce dramatically positive results, because: Leadership transparency has a huge influence on two major factors within the Psychological Contract and its effective management:
y

employee trust and openness towards the employer employee awareness of facts - enabling employee objectivity in judging the Psychological Contract

Where leadership is not transparent, employees have no reason to trust the employer, and according to human nature, will tend not to be open and trusting in return. As discussed elsewhere in this article, trust is crucial for a healthy Psychological Contract. And where leadership fails to inform and explain itself openly and fully to employees, employees will form their own ideas instead, which tend not to be very accurate or comprehensive. Wrong perceptions, especially when we add misinformation, rumour, etc., thrive in an information vacuum. Faulty beliefs become hidden factors (among the blue arrows in the iceberg diagram) which influence the Psychological Contract very unhelpfully. Aside from this, ignorance and uncertainty make people feel threatened and vulnerable. Lack of leadership transparency is a particularly daft failing where clear explanation of organizational position provides real objective justification for a particular organizational action or inflexibility. Transparency helps to kick-start a 'virtuous circle' within the Psychological Contract, as well as giving employees reliable facts about their situation. The 'virtuous circle' enables trust, openness and tolerance to develop. Reliable facts replace faulty assumptions and unhelpful perceptions.

Lack of transparency starts a 'vicious circle'. Distrust fosters distrust. Secrecy fosters secrecy. Employer/employee communications will tend to be closed, not open. Fear and suspicion on both sides increase, particularly in employees, whose perception of the Contract worsens as a result, in turn increasing animosity and fear. 'Virtuous and vicious circles' within the Psychological Contract are explained in more detail later in this article. Note that this advocation of transparency does not give leaders the right to unburden themselves constantly of the worries and pressures that typically come with the responsibility of leadership. Followers expect leaders to be transparent where people are helped by knowing, so that they can prepare and react constructively. Transparency here refers to the easy and helpful availability of information about the organization. It's similar to openness, discussed later, which is more concerned with honest two-way communications within an organization. These are not fixed definitions of transparency and openness; just an attempt here to explain two different aspects of organizational and management clarity. Transparency tends to be a matter of leadership policy, style, by which clear facts about an organization's position, activities and decisions are made available to its employees and ideally also to its customers. Openness tends to refer to the flow of communications in all directions within the organization, here especially the feelings, ideas and needs of employees. Good general levels of openness in communications may have no influence at all on improving leadership/organizational transparency, especially if the organization chooses not to be very transparent. Transparent organizations find it much easier to foster open communications.

the psychological contract and change management

Change management is a big challenge in today's organizations, and it is very significant in the Psychological Contract. Organizational change puts many different pressures on the Psychological Contract. So does change outside of organizations - in society, the economy, and in individuals' personal lives; for example 'Life-Stage' or 'generational' change - (see Erikson's LifeStages Theory). Our ability to understand and manage organizational change increasingly depends on our ability to understand and manage the most important drivers within the Psychological Contract.

These can vary considerably situation to situation. We need therefore to be able to identify and interpret the nature of change, and other factors impacting on the Psychological Contract, rather than merely referring to a checklist. People's needs, and their perceptions of their needs, can change quickly, and tend to do so more when they are unhappy. Organizational leaders naturally see change from their own standpoint. Crucially, to manage change more effectively leaders must now see change in terms of its effects on employees, and must understand how employees feel about it. Managing change is often seen as merely a process - as in project management for example - but effective leadership style and behaviour - notably alongside a modern appreciation of the Psychological Contract - are also vital for successful change management. Where a leader's behaviour is sensitive to people's feelings, change happens much easier. Where a leader forces change on people insensitively, and without proper consideration of the Psychological Contract, then problems usually arise. These two approaches extend interestingly in different ways, which we can call a 'virtuous circle' or a 'vicious circle'.

'selling' changes and the psychological contract

The extent to which change, or any situation, is 'sold' to people warrants careful consideration. 'Selling' here refers informally to the use of persuasion, influence or incentive, in causing someone or a group to do something they would probably not otherwise do, which commonly in management and business seeks to achieve the acceptance of a proposition or other sort of change. When change has to be 'sold' to people, it's normally because whoever is doing the selling suspects that people might not willingly accept the situation were it to more openly and objectively explained. Persuasion can produce mutually positive outcomes in some situations - especially if the people being persuaded are comfortable and open to the approach - but persuasion which amounts to 'selling' change is often not helpful or constructive for those being persuaded, and may not actually produce a good outcome for the persuader either. This particular effect is very significant within the Psychological Contract. 'Selling' change - especially unfairly or strongly - tends to produce a negative outcome for everyone.

This is a simple way to decide usually what is fair and what is unfair when 'selling' or persuading others to agree to or accept change:
y

Motivating and encouraging people to apply a positive constructive approach to achieving or handling properly explained challenges is generally a good thing. Distorting the challenge or situation so that it is made to look acceptable or even advantageous is not.

Both of the above could be described as persuasion, but they are quite different approaches. Where there is a sense that change has to be 'sold' to people, it's a sign that that the approach is probably not fair and could produce problems later. For those preferring a more tangible perspective than fairness, we could substitute the notion of risk, or risk avoidance: Methods of communicating change which involve distortion of deceit carry greater risk of conflict and negative outcomes than methods which explain the situation clearly, while offering motivation, support and encouragement, etc. People need to know what lies ahead, and to be consulted and supported in dealing with it. Leaders have a duty to give proper information and explanation to their followers. Leaders neglect a fundamental responsibility where they deceive people or distort facts, in the hope that people will somehow absorb the problem when it looms larger than promised, or worse where a leader takes the view that people have no right to know or to complain. I'm not advocating negative thinking in assessing and communicating change. I'm advocating objectivity and honesty. People don't like nasty surprises and they don't like dishonesty, especially when it stems from authority trying to reduce resistance to change or to avoid obligations arising. This is an important aspect of change management and of relationships generally, and because it involves trust at a deep level, it is very relevant to the Psychological Contract. Usually where change is 'sold' to people the Psychological Contract is damaged. Employers tend to minimise or 'spin' the negative effects of change. Doing so (initially) makes the change easier and quicker to manage, and reduces the difficulties for the leader, so in this respect it's perhaps a natural human tendency, as well as a common organizational behaviour. The short term appeal of glossing over or otherwise distorting hard facts often encourages leaders to neglect deeper discussion and debate where it might be warranted.

'Selling' change is usually a short-term gain, with a long-term cost, plus interest. Employees may be fooled initially when a leader 'sells' them a change without properly and honestly explaining its implications. They may even be enthused by the change. This all turns very bad indeed however when a change, 'sold' on a false premise, turns out to be worse than first presented. Employees feel bad because of the new unpleasant situation, but they feel even worse because they can now see they've been deceived, or fooled or conned. Also, where change is 'sold' to people using strong persuasion or distortion or omission, they naturally struggle to cope as well as they might have done if they'd been given a fair chance to prepare. Many changes are difficult and cannot be avoided of course. Always though, it is best to be open and honest with people. This gives people time to absorb and react. They feel good because they've been trusted and treated as adults, not children. They may even come up with helpful ideas and suggestions - they often do - which the leadership might not remotely have imagined possible. Most importantly by being open and honest with people - preferably involving them at the earliest possible stage - the essential relationship and trust within the Psychological Contract can be protected far more easily.

empathy and the psychological contract

Empathy is the ability or process used in understanding the other person's situation and feelings. We normally characterize empathy as the behaviour of a single person, but in the Psychological Contract empathy must be an organizational capability - a cultural norm and expectation of leaders and managers in their dealings with people. Empathy is crucial to trust, cooperation and openness, and it's also crucial to mutual understanding. All of these elements are significant within the Psychological Contract, so empathy is too. The nature of empathy is that people can see if it exists or not. Where it does not, building trust and cooperation is very difficult. Where an employer lacks empathy, employees naturally are less inclined to trust and cooperate. A 'vicious circle' begins. The nature of many organizations, and a traditional view of management, commonly puts the employees at the bottom of the management hierarchy. It's partly human nature, perhaps reinforced by experiences of authority in childhood and schooling. It's also the way that authority has been for thousands of years.

Having raised the point I should add that it might not always be like this. The world is changing in some very interesting ways. We are beginning to see authority in various contexts shifting back to followers, and separately due to similar forces (notably technological and connective empowerment of people), certain types of authorities are beginning to see and describe themselves as servants rather than leaders. That said, authority in most businesses and organizations will continue for some while to see itself at the top of the pile. The underlying attitude of this sort of authority tends to impose its views and to project its interpretations onto the people who are subject to the authority. This attitude is very unhelpful for modern work and management, and especially for the Psychological Contract. Where leadership has this attitude, it cascades down through management. This is a big obstacle to improving the quality of the Psychological Contract, because it is an obstacle to empathy. Empathy is lacking where authority fails to truly understand and recognise the feelings, needs, views, etc., of its followers/employees. Achieving a fair balanced Psychological Contract requires that important factors are understood, and seen to be understood. The more an employer demonstrates broad awareness of the employee situation, the more likely it becomes that mutual agreement - and a healthy Psychological Contract - can be established and maintained. Many employers, especially businesses, accepted a generation ago that empathy is vital when dealing with customers - to build trust, and to know what customers truly feel, think and need. Businesses realise that customers' needs change according to changes in the market and the wider world, and that these needs can be very complex and dynamic. They need to be understood by using empathy and building trust, and appropriate responses provided, or the relationship between supplier and customer is broken or lost altogether. The analogy is significant. Progressive employers are realising that exactly the same principles apply to the Psychological Contract with employees.

virtuous circles and vicious circles

When an employee feels bad, he/she tends to look for someone to blame. We all behave like this at times, especially when our emotional reserves and self-image are low. When an employee looks for someone to blame he/she tends to put the employer

high on the list. The perception of the employer worsens. The Psychological Contract stinks mostly because the employee feels bad. Conversely, when an employee feels good and the self-image is strong, he/she tends to see the employer more positively. "I like my work (and my boss) because I feel good.." The Psychological Contract now smells of roses. This is not new. This sort of loopy effect has always existed. It's unavoidable within any proper appreciation of the Psychological Contract. These loops are not conventionally measurable, but they do exist and can be very significant. Within the Psychological Contract many perceptions become an important part of the reality. A traditional X-Theory employer/leader might dismiss employee perceptions as not being real or relevant. The traditional autocratic view is "...To run a corporation we must deal in reality and not worry about perceptions..." However if the workforce believes (perceives) that the leadership is being heavy-handed, or greedy, or neglectful, or unethical, then this is the reality which the leadership needs to address, because such perceptions have a huge effect on the Psychological Contract. Perceptions are part of the reality and dismissing them doesn't make them disappear. We cannot manage every conceivable element in the Psychological Contract, especially when we try to imagine the detailed personal needs of large numbers of employees within a big organization. Happily employees do not normally demand such attention to detail, provided they are satisfied that their major needs of trust and fairness are met. Beyond a certain level of consultation and involvement, employees are generally accepting of decision-making by leaders. Employees have their own jobs to do and (ideally) enjoy doing them; many do not aspire to be leaders themselves, or to do the work of a leader, and so are happy to assume that leaders are making good decisions in good faith - particularly if, again, essential elements of trust and fairness are seen to exist. What is it then within the Psychological Contract that sometimes causes relatively small factors to be big problems in some situations, but not in others? An explanation can be seen in the 'virtuous circles' - or 'vicious circles' - that operate within the model. Helpfully - for employers who have a positive approach to the Psychological Contract people's needs at work tend to reduce and simplify when the Psychological Contract is healthy. We see a 'virtuous circle' operating. When people are happy at work they are more emotionally positive, resilient and flexible. These attitudes make it easier for people to adapt to and accept change, and to tolerate and be flexible in response to unexpected demands or irritations.

This is true in life generally, not just in work. To handle change - or any potentially negative effect - we need strong emotional reserves. When people are happy and emotionally strong at work they are more likely to assist in the change process. This is extremely useful in big organizations, where change is usually ever-present and ongoing. This 'virtuous circle' makes managing organizational change much easier, and it means that employees are less likely to react in a big negative way to a relatively minor incident or anomaly within the overall Psychological Contract. Emotionally positive people tend to be resilient and flexible. They also tend to rationalize (explain to themselves and others) events in a positive way, even events that in other circumstances might be regarded as potentially threatening. Positive attitude, mood, and frame of mind are very powerful in turning perceptions and opinions into helpful realities. It is human nature for happy satisfied people to see the bright side of things, just as it is human nature for unhappy dissatisfied people to see the negative and to fear the worst. Negative emotion is a very powerful driver of employees' unhelpful needs and dependencies at work. Unhappy workers find plenty to be dissatisfied about; they demand more support and help; they need more managing; they feel worse about themselves, their work, their boss, their employer, their pay, and life as a whole. They also moan to colleagues, who will often moan back, and reinforce negative feelings. And so, unhappy employees are emotionally not able to be very tolerant or flexible when their employer needs them to be, which makes managing the Psychological Contract much more difficult. In terms of change management this can be disastrous to organizational performance, and in terms of the Psychological Contract, it stinks, because that's how the employees feel about it. This is a 'vicious circle'. Try motivating people and providing brilliant service to your customers in that situation. It's not easy. Sadly and typically the vicious circle accelerates if managers and leaders then retaliate or exhibit negative emotions towards employees. We see this commonly in publicised industrial disputes, and you might be imagining now as you are reading this the sort of leaders and organizations who perform so incompetently in such situations. Temper tantrums and bullying regrettably enable many poor leaders to advance way beyond their true level of ability (see the Peter Principle, which partly explains how). The behaviour is not very sustainable however. Transactional Analysis methodology is very useful in understanding aggressive confrontational leadership, and potentially also in rehabilitating leaders so afflicted, if they can be persuaded to attend therapy..

openness of communications
Openness of communications is crucial to within the Psychological Contract and to 'virtuous and vicious circles'. Open communications in an organization become 'virtuous circles'. Closed communications become 'vicious circles'. Leadership generally determines and controls the level of organizational transparency, whereas openness of communications, or lack of, depends on wider issues of culture, processes, management methods and attitudes, etc. Organizational/leadership transparency is quite simple to achieve where the leadership has a will to do so. Achieving openness of communications is usually a much bigger and more complex challenge. Significantly within the Psychological Contract openness is the preparedness of employees to be open and honest about their feelings to their employer, which usually depends on the employer (and its management) being open and honest with the employees. Openness of communications produces lots of other organizational benefits, but in terms of the Psychological Contract openness crucially influences trust and mutual awareness (between organization and employees, i.e., both sides of the Contract), and through the 'virtual/vicious circle' effect openness hugely influences the quality of the Psychological Contract. Secretive distrustful employees are extremely difficult to manage. The organization has no real idea of what they want, nor what their priorities and concerns are. The employer may not even realise that a problem exists until it blows up into a major crisis. Open communications between employer and employees are a strong indicator of a healthy Psychological Contract, and also of a capability to accommodate change. Open communications enable change to be managed, and problems to be resolved. The characteristic is both cause and effect - a 'virtuous circle'. When openness is offered, encouraged and acted upon helpfully by the employer, employees themselves become more open, and also more accepting of change and other challenges. Closed, secretive communication between employer and employees suggests the opposite - an unhealthy Psychological Contract - and this effect tends also to be selffuelling - a 'vicious circle'. Murphy's Plough is a helpful and amusing analogy. This sort of behaviour is obviously very obstructive when trying to manage organizational change. Closed communications inevitably produce 'blind' arbitrary leadership decisions and changes from which people feel excluded. This creates fear and negativity among staff, which closes communications further and increases suspicion, resentment and resistance.

The 'virtuous circles' within the Psychological Contract offer a naturally efficient way to build tolerance, flexibility and adaptability and other positive characteristics among employees within the Psychological Contract. The 'vicious circles' aspect reminds us that where a leader fails to foster positive attitudes and communications - or worse, displays distrust, aggression, animosity, etc this causes employees generally to be less tolerant of anomalies, even small ones, within the Psychological Contract. I repeat the point that leadership openness and transparency must not extend to leaders unburdening themselves of worries and pressures arising in the responsibility of leadership. Openness chiefly applies to the flow of honest constructive communications within an organization, especially enabling the building of mutual trust and awareness between leaders/managers and followers (for which the Johari Window is a very relevant and useful model).

external and relative reference factors

There are for each of us many and various shifting external and/or relative reference factors and which influence our judgement as to what is right or fair or reasonable in our lives. Many external references become internalised or personalised, affecting our 'frame of reference' and how we value and compare situations and especially alternative options. Psychological Contracts depend heavily on relative factors. People cannot think about the Psychological Contract with their employer without reference to external and relative factors. Adams' Equity Theory provides a very helpful viewpoint of this. For example how we perceive our market worth as an employee has a substantial influence on the value that we imagine our employer should place on us: A person who has secured an alternative job offer at a higher salary than his current employment will tend to expect more from his current employer than a person who has attended a dozen job interviews in the past year and received no job offer. Here is a different example of how consideration of the psychological contract can greatly depend on external factors: Imagine a banker's attitude to his employer six months before the 2008 global financial crash. Employment was buoyant, bonuses were high, performance and stocks were booming. A senior banking employee would tend to feel bullish and confident. He/she would tend to feel that his/her job is safe, and that other jobs elsewhere are available. The market generally favoured employees. Largely a good performer could pick and choose where to work. Now contrast that with a time six months after the 2008 global

financial crash. Banking job vacancies were relatively scarce. Redundancies were rife. Bonuses were slashed (for a while). Those in work are not so bullish or confident. It was no longer an employees' market; it was an employer's market. The external market had changed, and with it the employee's perceptions, and reality, as to his/her relative value, and the relative value (and increasingly, security) offered by the employer. The employee in 2009 had a different interpretation of his/her Psychological Contract specifically reduced expectations - than the same employee with the same employer before the 2008 crash. The employee is the same; the employer is the same; the financial and tangible package might be the same (it might even have worsened in terms of bonus and job security), and yet the employee in 2009 almost certainly would view the Psychological Contract as being more acceptable than it was in 2008. Of course perceptions can go down, as well as up.. The banker scenario is an obvious and extreme example, nevertheless external and relative factors are everywhere in everyone's view of work, and in life outside work, and these factors are often hidden until we think or ask about them, and many can be very significant in influencing people's feelings, perceptions and expectations. Relative factors tend to be very difficult to measure. Imagining a scientifically balanced formula for just a small set of 'give and take' (inputs and rewards) within the Psychological Contract is difficult enough. The notion of a mathematical model covering every possible exchanges, and allowing for external/relative factors, is even more mind-blowing. We should instead aim to identify, understand and clarify the biggest external relative factors and then react to them fairly and realistically. Pareto (80/20) analysis methods are useful in assessing the most important factors within a complex series of possibilities. If we clarify the major confusions, fill the big information gaps, and satisfy people's major needs, then the remaining smaller incidental or occasional issues - which will be countless in a large workforce - will generally take care of themselves through the 'virtuous circle' rule. Remember that the Psychological Contract is not measurable or manageable in conventional ways. It needs approaching partly through tangible facts and logic, and partly through intuition, trust, and a level of pragmatism too. (I use the word pragmatism here not in its negative sense of rigidity or officiousness, rather in the sense of "dealing with matters according to their practical significance..", as the OED puts it - which is what the Pareto Principle helps us to do.)

generational factors

While not necessarily external, generational issues are very interesting relative factors, and often overlooked. This generational model offers a simple and entertaining angle. Erikson's Life-Stage Theory offers a different and deeper perspective. Our frame of reference changes quite markedly as we get older and pass through different life stages. I am not suggesting that a detailed generational analysis be conducted of every employee's unique situation in order to arrive at a properly balanced Psychological Contract. I am suggesting instead that generational issues can be influential factors within employee needs and feelings, and so they need some consideration. This is obvious in an ageing workforce, or a very young workforce, but it's also worth consideration where distinctly different generational groups work together. A practical example is that older people (see Erikson again) are commonly interested in helping younger people - passing on their knowledge, mentoring, for instance. Younger people value this sort of help. Isn't it logical then to consider these generational capabilities and needs in the broad thinking about the Psychological Contract? When considering age be mindful of the laws about ageism and age equality. Generational factors must not be a basis of discrimination, but they can and should be a basis of understanding people's deeper needs and capabilities.

the psychological contract - additional and deeper perspectives

You will see many and various definitions of the Psychological Contract. It is a complex concept when examined beyond its most basic principle, and is dynamic when considered in any single situation: it's not fixed or static - it contains forces and feelings which can fluctuate and be quite chaotic. The basic principle - that people seek fair treatment at work - is simple. Complexities and dynamics however come to life as soon as the principle is seen in a practical context; essentially the Psychological Contract is driven by people's feelings - therefore it's an effect which cannot be measured or defined in fixed terms like a salary or a timesheet. We might more easily try to define love or fear, or life itself. As a concept, the Psychological Contract will continue to evolve and change, in both its effects and its definitions. This complexity and dynamism is not surprising. The Psychological Contract combines the effects of at least two highly complicated systems:
y y

an individual person's thoughts, and an organization's behaviour towards that person.

Beyond this other complex systems are almost always involved:

y y y

the thoughts of fellow employees; the thoughts and attitudes of leaders the positions and needs of the organization's ownership; the organization's behaviour towards fellow employees; the organization's performance and strength (especially the employee perceptions of this); the market in which the employer operates (again employee perceptions of this); the wider economy and world in which the employee sees him/herself (again employee perceptions of these factors); and perhaps most fundamentally of all, the constitutional or corporate structure of the organization concerned (notably the extent of separation/alignment between employees and the organization itself - ownership, purpose, rules, policies, equity, profit, performance, growth, reward, direction, etc - the extent to which the employees are genuine 'stakeholders').

Basic descriptions of the Psychological Contract tend to simplify the concept as merely the addition of intangible input/reward factors (such as loyalty and effort/job security and satisfaction) to the traditional tangible pay/hours and other clear measurable mutual obligations found within a conventional contract of employment. In modern times more advanced and sophisticated views of the Psychological Contract are emerging. In a fuller practical sense, the Psychological Contract offers a way to interpret and improve the relationship between employer and employees, with consideration of:
y

formal written terms or contract of employment pay, hours, holidays, conditions, duties and responsibilities, etc (potentially any or all) other aspects of the work job interest, management, development, satisfaction, advancement, etc

what the employee 'brings to the job' or 'puts into the job' - effort, time, loyalty, innovation, results, etc the employing organization's performance and situation - market success, financial strength, or lack of (seen as a sort of 'ability to reward', or 'constraint to reward') the state of the job market and economy (for example, alternative job or career options, availability of replacement staff)

And significantly, often overlooked:

y

perceptions and assumptions about all of the above factors, which can be very different for employees and employer, and which especially for employees can be influenced by various things, for example workmates, trade unions, media, social networking and other group dynamics and communications - note: perceptions and assumptions of employers can be heavily influenced also - if unhelpfully so this needs addressing the employee's self-image - how he/she sees him/herself - in whatever way is significant to the employee and, fundamentally influential on the above point and many others - is the employee 'just an employee' or does he/she have a deeper interest in the employer organization in terms of ownership, policies and direction?

We can see the Psychological Contract potentially extending to very deep considerations of the employee/employer relationship, especially in business organizations. This is beyond traditional appreciations of reward and emotional well-being. The Psychological Contract causes us to question the fundamental alignment of employee and employer specifically in relation to ownership, representational leadership, profit-share, etc - and how this is structured within the constitutional rules and purpose of the organization. This obviously suggests that the traditional model by which most businesses are run is not necessarily the best organizational structure for achieving a healthy Psychological Contract. The traditional model is probably fine for people who have no interest in their work beyond quite basic inputs and rewards, but it's likely to be an inherently and increasingly strained arrangement for employees who want something deeper, and

logically for employers too who seek a deep involvement and commitment from their people. Traditionally, maintaining a healthy Psychological Contract is addressed by balancing employee inputs and rewards. This exchange typically happens on a constitutional foundation which places employees clearly and firmly outside of the ownership and the strategic leadership of the organization. In many situations, notably 'X-Theory' business corporations, this exclusion encourages and enables real and/or perceived vulnerability, disadvantage, unfairness, etc. The employee may (and generally does) feel disengaged, and not a real 'part of the organization'. Similar disengagement may be felt by employees of state organizations by virtue of exclusion from decision-making, especially where decisions undermine service quality. Where workers are disempowered at the most basic operating level, the Psychological Contract may need attention at a fundamental constitutional level, i.e., the rules and structure of the organization, which can only be changed by its 'owner' - the state, or other public authority. Where an organization's basic constitution and rules work against people's core needs, the balancing of employee inputs and rewards almost inevitably becomes a battleground. Serious 'vicious circles' develop, reducing mutual trust and transparency. Crucially, people do not feel aligned with the organization. They work in spite of the organization, not truly for the organization. The wasted potential is considerable. Self-image is a very significant element in people's assessment of the Psychological Contract. An employee whose self-image is one of a detached remote worker (detached and remote from the ownership and direction of the organization) - a mere 'hired-hand' - will inevitably focus his/her thinking strongly on traditional employment expectations: pay, hours, advancement, job quality, etc., (it's a long list, referenced elsewhere on this page, and see Herzberg's theory for example). People treated like 'hired-hands' naturally behave like 'hired-hands'. An obvious question about the Psychological Contract in the modern world is: If we change the fundamental relationship between the employee and the employer so that the employee is also an owner of the enterprise (or meaningfully empowered, in the case of state organizations), how does this alter the self-image, and consequentially the Psychological Contract? We would not be changing (hypothetically) the terms and conditions of work. We instead (hypothetically) would change the relationship between the employee and employer at a far more fundamental level. This alters the self-image dramatically. The employee is now far more engaged and aligned with the organization, because he/she has a deep and meaningful interest in it. Further points about this:

In many situations a similar deep constitutional change could apply to the relationship between a supplier and its customers. The opportunities for such deep alignment of employer/employee is different in state-owned organizations compared to businesses, but the question immediately becomes very relevant where state-owned services are privatised in one way or another, as has been the trend in recent times. Regardless of whether privatisation of state-owned services is right or wrong in any particular situation, we can see that where services are privatised it is very damaging to the Psychological Contract for employees and potentially users/customers to be excluded from the ownership arrangements. The actual level of employee/customer ownership in any given situation is a matter of degree. Broadly the greater the extent of shared ownership, then more naturally balanced the Psychological Contract is likely to be. Shared ownership automatically brings with it shared or representational leadership in some form or other, which is another basic exclusion dictated by old-style (paternalistic, X-Theory) organizational structures. There are proven, long-established examples of employee-owned enterprises, and customer-owned organizations, large and small, which operate very successfully, and in some cases a lot more successfully than traditional business models with detached employees and shareholders. In such organizations the Psychological Contract is typically and inherently balanced and healthy. Achieving employee (or customer) involvement at this depth is not easy for large well established business corporations, especially if the existing ownership and/or financing of the corporation is very inflexible. However there is no guarantee that any particular business model will last for ever. Certain corporations in certain industries could find it increasingly difficult to compete in their markets against employee-ownership, and customer-

ownership models. Internet technology challenges some of our most basic assumptions about the ways that business is structured. For example, are services like banking, insurance, broadcasting, news, retailing, necessarily most effectively and competitively provided via a big corporation with shareholder expectations? I wonder. The Psychological Contract may initially have caused us to ask the questions, but the changing world, and especially the increasing connectivity and empowerment of people, will ultimately shape the answers.

contracting in transactional analysis - related to the psychological contract

As mentioned previously, the concept of 'psychological contracting' offers much potential for understanding and improving relationships outside of the traditional employer/employee context. There is not yet a wide appreciation of 'psychological contracts' and 'contracting' in society and human behaviour outside of employee/employer relationships. There should be. A specialised exception and example is the term 'contracting' within Transactional Analysis and specifically described within modern TA theory. Here next, in summary, is how 'contracting' is regarded in Transactional Analysis. It's not the same as the Psychological Contract in employment, but certain governing principles are very similar. These principles are very helpful in understanding the Psychological Contract as it applies in employment, especially in human relationships and communications. This is because:
y

in Transactional Analysis 'contracting' is seen as crucial in working relationships (typically between a therapist and a patient), and importantly in Transactional Analysis - as it should be in employment - 'contracting' seeks to be transparent, open, and clearly agreed between both sides.

Eric Berne (1910-70), the founder of Transactional Analysis, very elegantly described a 'contract' (which for these purposes we could call a 'psychological contract') as "... an explicit bilateral commitment to a well-defined course of action..." In his 1967 book about TA, I'm OK - You're OK, Thomas Harris says of the 'contract' in Transactional Analysis: "...We use the word 'contract' as a statement of mutual expectations..." This recognises that clarity of mutual expectations is vital for a good working relationship. Eric Berne's quote is cited by Ian Stewart and Vann Joines, in their 1987 book TA Today. Stewart and Joines significantly explain also that: "... in any relationship, the parties may exchange ulterior [hidden] messages. This is especially true where personal or organizational change is being sought..." Stewart and Joines are referring here to the use of Transactional Analysis as a therapy or counselling methodology, but they might just as well be referring to modern organised work and employee management. Stewart and Joines continue: "... such changes usually mean a challenge to someone's frame of reference. Both practitioner [therapist] and client [patient] are likely to come into their working relationship with a covert agenda... One important function of a contract is to make the covert agenda explicit..." Equate 'therapist' to an employer, and 'patient' to an employee or workforce. In Transactional Analysis it is recognised that a good working relationship cannot exist without the therapist giving proper consideration to the patient's 'frame of reference'. This equates to an employer giving proper consideration to the employee's frame of reference. Frame of reference here refers to the way someone sees themselves, and their life and world, including their work and employer. When employees criticise managers and directors for 'being in another world', or 'sitting in their ivory towers' this is usually a strong indication that that organisational leaders are not giving and showing proper consideration for the employee's 'frame of reference'. In Transactional Analysis, just as in work organisations, failing to consider someone's 'frame of reference' tends to ensure that it is impossible to achieve a good working relationship. The second key point in the Stewart-Joines quote is the reference to making the covert agenda explicit. In other words, both sides must be transparent about what they want and how they are thinking. This is difficult in TA, and a lot more challenging in organisations, nevertheless, the likelihood of problems arising in the Psychological Contract increases with lack of transparency. Covert agendas - hidden or unknown motives and needs on both sides -

in Transactional Analysis therapy and in organised work, tend to produce conflicts, misunderstandings, and mistrust, which all obviously undermine good working relationships. Seeing this point more positively: transparency, openness, and exposure all foster trust, which in turn enables further transparency and clarity. Clarity is the basis of mutual understanding, which is the only viable foundation on which a strong Psychological Contract can be built.

the psychological contract - tool, process, working model?

Unfortunately the Psychological Contract is not yet a scientific tool or a process. Given the growing power of technology - notably in gathering and interpreting highly complex data, in real time, across large groups of people - perhaps a feasible tool will be developed one day, but not for a while. The dynamics and details of any substantial analysis of the Contract in an organizational context are too many and chaotic for scientific interpretation to be viable or practical. Aside from this there are always big difficulties in resolving self-perpetuating loop effects like the virtuous and vicious circles which feature strongly in the Contract. Additionally, as ever, measuring feelings and attitudes represents a further big obstacle to developing the concept onto a process or system. Certain vast systemic activities, such as managing a nation's finances, or regulating a stock market, can just about be translated into a series of mathematical processes, but the Psychological Contract presents deeper complexities. I have said already that successful management of the Psychological Contract is more of a philosphy than a process or tool, and it is in this spirit that it is best managed. The Psychological Contract can be seen as a working model in the sense that it provides a guiding philosophy - essentially that of fairness - to the use of various organizational tools and processes, notably in human resources management, many of which are explained elsewhere on this website. Fairness is fascinating - it is both a leadership driver (for leaders who decide so), and also a positive outcome and perception within the Psychological Contract. The perception of fairness within the Psychological Contract is influenced by many factors, as we have seen. There is nevertheless a fundamental and unavoidable correlation between perceived fairness and the organization's balancing of the needs of:
y

customers

y y

staff and shareholders.

Some organizations have flexibility and inclination to address the balance of these needs. Others have neither. Naturally where the balance is set strongly in favour of shareholders, employees are less likely to perceive great fairness in the Psychological Contract. This has been largely the traditional shape of employment organizations and businesses since work itself became organized. The Psychological Contract increasingly causes us to ask a big question: Are there better ways to organize work, and especially business? I refer to fundamental organization - structural, constitutional, regulatory, etc - deeper than organizational management. Every organization can improve its relationship with its people, if its leadership has the will to do so, because so much of the relationship depends on simple trust, honesty and humanity, which by any normal reckoning cost absolutely nothing. More progressive organizational structures, in which the responsibilities and rewards of ownership and leadership are shared with employees, potentially customers too, face much easier and simpler challenges in developing and keeping a healthy Psychological Contract. We can apply the theory and thinking about the Psychological Contract in a potentially far-reaching way:
y

to guide the way processes are used for fact-finding, analysis and people-management (appraisals, staff surveys, job grading, pay plans, training and development, etc) to increase the use fairness as a chief leadership driver, along with related qualities like honesty, objectivity, humanity, and integrity and, where possible, to question and seek to improve the fundamental structure and purpose of the organization

The Psychological Contract offers insight and inspiration to explore and improve the very structure of businesses and other employment organizations. Many existing conventional corporations are of course stuck with the model they have, for one reason or another, typically because the finances are too entrenched to unpick

and re-structure, and/or because owners and leaders simply do not agree that there could be a better, fairer, way. Time will tell. Newer businesses and businesses yet to be formed have a great deal more flexibility, and can consider different ways of structuring - such as mutuals, coperatives and partnerships - which are founded on fairer principles, and for which the Psychological Contract is largely self-balancing. The constitution of any enterprise or activity (its rules of formation, ownership and purpose, etc) is conceivably the major influence upon fairness of the organization, and since fairness is at the heart of the Psychological Contract, addressing the constitution is for some situations the surest way to develop a Psychological Contract that is naturally balanced and healthy, and also likely to sustain itself with minimal intervention.

summary - the psychological contract

The Psychological Contract is fascinating for many reasons because it offers so many different perspectives. It's not a tool or a process. The Psychological Contract is a model and a philosophy which can guide us in the way we structure and manage organizations, and deal with employees within them. At a basic level it helps us understand more about the 'give and take' that characterises working for an organization, and particularly leading an organization. It is very useful in understanding why employees are 'difficult to motivate', or 'difficult to manage' - especially when this is an ongoing or widespread challenge. The Psychological Contract helps leaders understand better how to align their people's needs with those of the organization, which is a very elusive notion. The concept also offers a powerful way to expand thinking and possibilities for people and work, in some distinctly separate and important ways:
y y

individual employee motivation and management motivation and management of workgroups and departments entire workforce motivation and management review of grading, management hierarchy, succession recruitment and selection and induction training and development

y y

y y

y y

assessment of leadership - vision, style, capability assessment of traditional workplace terms and conditions, contracts, etc organizational communications organizational philosophy and culture fundamental organizational purpose, constitutional rules and ownership new business purpose and legal structure markets and societies - types of organizations that will work best in the future

y y y

y y

At a deeper level the Psychological Contract questions the significance of fairness in the way organizations are run and established. There is no single right way. There are ways which are bound to fail, because in essence they become uncompetitive. The world changes, and as it does, work and business changes too. From the tone of this article, and the website surrounding it, you may gather that I am not a great fan of old-style business and management. It seems to make an awful lot of money for a very few people, and provide a relatively unhappy and unfulfilled working life for a big proportion of everyone else.

stories and analogies

illustrations and analogies for motivation, inspiration, learning and training
Here are some stories, analogies, research findings and other examples that provide wonderful illustrations for learning, and inspiration for self-development. Read about the travellers and the monk, tickle me elmo, get in the wheelbarrow, the shoe box story, the scorpion and the frog, murphy's plough, Pavlov's dogs, the monkeys and the stairs, and more. Look at the stories index for stories listed by subject. Or go straight to the stories.

Analogies, stories, fables and case-studies are great ways to illustrate teaching, training and business lessons. Stories, examples, fables and research references add colour and substance to presentations and reports, and reinforce learning of all types. Some of these stories are ironic and so can best be used to illustrate pitfalls and vulnerabilities rather than best practice. If you know who wrote any of the unattributed stories below please let us know so that credit can be given. Read and enjoy and send me your own favourite stories and anecdotes. Some of these stories might be offensive to certain people in certain situations. If you are a strong advocate of political correctness or are easily offended please don't read this page, or the rest of this website, and for goodness sake don't go near the acronyms page. So, please don't use any of these stories in any situations that might cause offence to people. See also the quotes page, which contains many more motivational, educational and amusing anecdotes for writing, speaking, learning, teaching and training. Please note that The Person Who Had Feelings story, which was on this page for some while (with suggested but uncertain attribution to Barbara Dunlap) has been removed at the request of Barbara Dunlap Van Kirk, its author, who has kindly contacted me to explain that she is indeed the author, and that the work is protected and so is not to be reproduced. The version on this page was also somewhat different to Barbara's original. I hope to help Barbara's work be more widely and fully accessible in the future.

stories for teaching, training, lessons and amusement

Stories add interest and enjoyment to learning, teaching and training - for teachers, trainers and students. Stories also increase impact and make ideas and concepts far more memorable. Stories can be used to illustrate all sorts of themes and lessons, and most stories are extremely flexible. The themes suggested for the stories in this collection are the obvious examples. Use your imagination - in most stories you can find many other themes to suit your own purposes.

the blind man and the advertising story

An old blind man was sitting on a busy street corner in the rush-hour begging for money. On a cardboard sign, next to an empty tin cup, he had written: 'Blind - Please help'. No-one was giving him any money. A young advertising writer walked past and saw the blind man with his sign and empty cup, and also saw the many people passing by completely unmoved, let alone stopping to give money. The advertising writer took a thick marker-pen from her pocket, turned the cardboard sheet back-to-front, and re-wrote the sign, then went on her way. Immediately, people began putting money into the tin cup. After a while, when the cup was overflowing, the blind man asked a stranger to tell him what the sign now said. "It says," said the stranger, " 'It's a beautiful day. You can see it. I cannot.' " (My Dad told me this story when I was a teenager in the 1970s. I saw it recently on a video on the web. This story illustrates in a timeless way how important choice of words and language is when we want to truly connect with and move other people. Thanks BC and SD)

the shoes story (positive thinking, negative thinking, attitude, perspective, mindset)
You will perhaps have heard this very old story illustrating the difference between positive thinking and negative thinking: Many years ago two salesmen were sent by a British shoe manufacturer to Africa to investigate and report back on market potential. The first salesman reported back, "There is no potential here - nobody wears shoes." The second salesman reported back, "There is massive potential here - nobody wears shoes." This simple short story provides one of the best examples of how a single situation may be viewed in two quite different ways - negatively or positively. We could explain this also in terms of seeing a situation's problems and disadvantages, instead of its opportunities and benefits.

When telling this story its impact is increased by using exactly the same form of words (e.g., "nobody wears shoes") in each salesman's report. This emphasises that two quite different interpretations are made of a single situation. See also the glass half-full/empty quotes.

the pub story (racial issues, discrimination, exclusion, inclusion, lateral thinking, different meanings in language and communications)
A Sikh, a Muslim, an Englishman, an Irishman, a Scotsman, a Welshman, a Jew, a Buddhist and a Hindu go into a pub. The barman looks up and says, "Is this some kind of a joke?" (This short aside can be used to illustrate or draw attention to issues related to racial stereotyping/discrimination. Separately it offers an example of lateral thinking, and also an example of double meaning in language. The ethnicities may be changed for your own situation or part of the world.)

the inflatables story (context is everything, discipline and admonishment)

In the land of inflatables (bear with me..), at the inflatable school, what did the inflatable teacher say to the naughty inflatable boy caught misbehaving with a pin? "You let me down, you let yourself down, and worst of all you let the whole school down."

the mechanic and the surgeon story (perceptions, the devil is in the detail, the nature of big differences)
A heart surgeon took his car to his local garage for a regular service, where he usually exchanged a little friendly banter with the owner, a skilled but not especially wealthy mechanic.

"So tell me," says the mechanic, "I've been wondering about what we both do for a living, and how much more you get paid than me.." "Yes?.." says the surgeon. "Well look at this," says the mechanic, as he worked on a big complicated engine, "I check how it's running, open it up, fix the valves, and put it all back together so it works good as new.. We basically do the same job don't we? And yet you are paid ten times what I am - how do you explain that?" The surgeon thought for a moment, and smiling gently, replied,"Try it with the engine running.."

zodiac star signs story (for remembering the signs of the zodiac, and memory aid example for teaching mnemonics methods)
This story is a mnemonic (pronounced 'nemonic' - meaning memory aid) for remembering the twelve Signs of the Zodiac, in order, starting in January. While this example is useful for pub quizzes, more importantly the method of creating a story mnemonic can be used to retain all sorts of difficult-to-remember pieces of information, for yourself, and taught to others. Mnemonics stories need not make sense - they simply need to be memorable. In January, a goat (Capricorn), drinking from a stream (Aquarius) said, "Look, a fish (Pisces)." A ram (Aries), and a bull (Taurus), carrying the twins (Gemini) said "There's also a crab (Cancer)." A lion (Leo) roared in agreement, which startled the young maiden (Virgo) so that she dropped and smashed her scales (Libra). "That's no crab - it's a scorpion (Scorpio)," said the archer (Sagittarius). Note that the Signs of the Zodiac are normally deemed to start and end anything between the 18th and the 24th day of each month, depending on interpretation. It is not by any means a precise science.

the two bulls story (tactics, wisdom, planning, youthfulness vs maturity, impulse vs patience)

Two bulls, one young and full of enthusiasm, and the other older and wiser, see a herd of cows. The young bull says, "Let's charge down this hillside and have our wicked way with a couple of those cows." The old bull replies, "No, how about we stroll gently down this hillside and have our wicked way with them all." You will perhaps have heard this story told with more fruity language. Feel free to adapt it for your own situation. (Thanks A Dobson for suggesting it. See also Softly softly, catchee monkey.)

the thief and the paintings story (planning, preparation, resources, project management)
A thief was caught after stealing some paintings from the Louvre in Paris, when his getaway van ran out of fuel. Given bail at his first hearing, a reporter asked him on the steps of the courthouse how he forgot such a vital part of his plan. "Simple," said the thief, "I had no Monet for Degas to make the Van Gogh." (Ack CB)

the gardener's badge story (positive thinking, attitude, seeing the good side)
A landscape gardener ran a business that had been in the family for two or three generations. The staff were happy, and customers loved to visit the store, or to have the staff work on their gardens or make deliveries - anything from bedding plants to ride-on mowers. For as long as anyone could remember, the current owner and previous generations of owners were extremely positive happy people. Most folk assumed it was because they ran a successful business. In fact it was the other way around...

A tradition in the business was that the owner always wore a big lapel badge, saying Business Is Great! The business was indeed generally great, although it went through tough times like any other. What never changed however was the owner's attitude, and the badge saying Business Is Great! Everyone who saw the badge for the first time invariably asked, "What's so great about business?" Sometimes people would also comment that their own business was miserable, or even that they personally were miserable or stressed. Anyhow, the Business Is Great! badge always tended to start a conversation, which typically involved the owner talking about lots of positive aspects of business and work, for example:
y

the pleasure of meeting and talking with different people every day the reward that comes from helping staff take on new challenges and experiences the fun and laughter in a relaxed and healthy work environment the fascination in the work itself, and in the other people's work and businesses the great feeling when you finish a job and do it to the best of your capabilities the new things you learn every day - even without looking to do so and the thought that everyone in business is blessed - because there are many millions of people who would swap their own situation to have the same opportunities of doing a productive meaningful job, in a civilized well-fed country, where we have no real worries.

And so the list went on. And no matter how miserable a person was, they'd usually end up feeling a lot happier after just a couple of minutes listening to all this infectious enthusiasm and positivity. It is impossible to quantify or measure attitude like this, but to one extent or another it's probably a self-fulfilling prophecy, on which point, if asked about the badge in a quiet moment, the business owner would confide: "The badge came first. The great business followed."

the jewels story (enjoyment, fulfillment, possession, wealth, materialism, greed)

Once there was a very rich and greedy man. He loved and hoarded jewels. One day a visitor asked to see them. So the jewels were brought out, amid much expensive security, and the two men gazed at the wonderful stones. As the visitor was leaving he said, "Thank you for sharing your jewels with me." "I didn't give them to you," exclaimed the rich man, "They belong to me." "Yes of course," replied the visitor, "And while we enjoyed the jewels just the same, the real difference between us is your trouble and expense of buying and protecting them." (Thanks Jackie Carpenter, adapted from an original item in New Internationalist 137.)

the atheist and the bear story (loyalty, conviction, payback and reward, changing sides)
A committed atheist (that's someone who steadfastly does not believe in a god of any sort) was on a trekking holiday when he became lost in some dense woods. A large angry bear, with ten starving cubs back home and claws like kitchen knives, suddenly emerged from the undergrowth. The atheist screamed in terror, turned and ran. The bear was quicker however, and after a long and desperate chase eventually cornered the atheist in a gully. The exhausted atheist sank to his knees, shaking. The bear, seeing that its prey was trapped, moved slowly towards the petrified man, drooling. The bear was drooling too. The atheist lifted his head, with tears in his eyes, and uttered the words he thought he would never say in all his life: "God help me..." With these simple three words, a blinding flash of lightning lit up the sky. There was a deafening crash of thunder. The clouds parted. A brilliant light shone down. The forest fell silent. The bear froze still, in a trance. The atheist stood gaping, transfixed.

A voice came loud from above. Louder than twenty AC/DC concerts all happening at the same time. We can safely assume this voice to have been the voice of a god of some sort. "You atheists make me seriously mad," boomed the god, "You deny me all your life. You tell others to deny me too. You put your faith in all that bloody Darwinian airy-fairy scientific nonsense, and then what a surprise - you get lost because you can't read your stupid map, and now you're about to get eaten by an angry bear all of a sudden you're on your knees snivelling and begging for my help?......... You must be joking..." The atheist looked down, realising that he was not arguing from a position of strength. "Okay, I take your point," said the atheist, thinking on his feet, while he still had them, "I can see it's a bit late for me to convert, but what about the bear?... Maybe you could convert the bear instead?" "Hmmn... interesting idea..." said the god, thinking hard, "...Okay. It shall be done." At which the brilliant light dimmed and vanished; the clouds closed; and the noises of the forest resumed. The bear awoke and shook its head, a completely different expression on its face. Calm, at peace. The bear closed its eyes, bowed its head, and said, "For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful, Amen.." THE END _________________________________ N.B. The grace prayer in the punchline is the version commonly taught in UK schools. Alternatives might work better depending on the audience, for example: "Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, let this food of ours be blessed. Amen.." (suggesting an Australian bear of unspecific denomination) "Lass't uns beten! O Herr, segne uns und diese deine gaben, die wir von deiner Gte nun empfangen werden. Durch Christus, unseren Herr'n! Amen.." (suggesting a German Catholic bear) You will perhaps devise your own endings. Perhaps your own animals. Perhaps your own god. It has been suggested that this story could offend certain sensitivities. I apologise therefore to bears everywhere. (Adapted from a story sent by S Hart, thank you.) A much shorter and simpler version of this story (thanks D Baudois) is as follows:

the missionary man and the lion story

A missionary came upon a hungry lion in the middle of the African plain. The missionary knelt and prayed, "God, please give this lion a christian soul!" The lion stopped, knelt, and prayed also: "Lord above, may this meal be blessed.."

the fairy story (strategic alliances, tactical awareness, ageism, sexism, being careful about what you wish for and how you go about getting it)
A couple were dining out together celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. After the meal, the husband presented his wife romantically with a beautiful very old gold antique locket on a chain. Amazingly when his wife opened the locket, a tiny fairy appeared. Addressing the astonished couple, the fairy said, "Your forty years of devotion to each other has released me from this locket, and in return I can now grant you both one wish each - anything you want.." Without hesitating, the wife asked, "Please, can I travel to the four corners of the world with my husband, as happy and in love as we've always been?" The fairy waved her wand with a flourish, and magically there on the table were two first-class tickets for a round-the-world holiday. Staggered, the couple looked at each other, unable to believe their luck. "Your turn," said the fairy and the wife to the husband. The husband thought for a few seconds, and then said, with a little guilt in his voice, "Forgive me, but to really enjoy that holiday of a lifetime - I yearn for a younger woman - so I wish that my wife could be thirty years younger than me." Shocked, the fairy glanced at the wife, and with a knowing look in her eye, waved her wand..... and the husband became ninety-three.

(Adapted from a suggestion from J Riley, thanks.)

circus story (developing young people, talent, career choice, parenting)

This short story - it's a joke really - can be used to illustrate attitudes to developing young people, career direction, and especially the advice and aspirations of parents and coaches, which might be different to the dreams of the individual... In a circus, the Bearded Lady and the World's Strongest Man fell in love, and decided to start a family. Soon the Bearded Lady fell pregnant. A few weeks before she was due to give birth, the Bearded Lady and the circus ringmaster were talking. "How's it going?" the ring-master asked, "Are you well?" "Yes thanks - very excited," said the bearded lady, "We have so many plans for the baby - we want to be supportive parents." "That's nice," said the ring-master, "Do you want a boy or a girl?" "Oh, we really don't mind as long as it's healthy," said the Bearded Lady, "And it fits into the cannon.." (Thanks DC)

stranded car dilemma story (creative thinking, ethics, decision-making)

This story is adapted from a scenario which featured in a widely circulated email, in which (supposedly) job applicants were given loosely the following question to answer, to indicate their personality and decision-making motives (supposedly). The job application context is extremely doubtful, but the lesson in creative thinking is interesting, especially if people are not given too long to dwell on it: You are driving alone in two-seater car on a deserted road in blizzard conditions, when you see another car which has recently run off the road and into a tree. There are three people in the stranded car, none of whom is injured:
y y y

an old friend, who once saved your life your childhood sweetheart greatest lost love an elderly lady

No-one has a phone. The likelihood of any more passing traffic is effectively zero. The conditions are too dangerous for people to walk anywhere. It is not possible to tow the crashed car. The nearest town is an hour's drive away. The question is: Given that your car is just a two-seater, in what order should the stranded people be taken to the nearest town? Answer

the school story (attendance, sickness, responsibility, parenting, and various other uses)
My apologies if this story is well-known to you. It's an old joke, yet a useful illustration for various themes. A mother repeatedly called upstairs for her son to get up, get dressed and get ready for school. It was a familiar routine, especially at exam time. "I feel sick," said the voice from the bedroom. "You are not sick. Get up and get ready," called the mother, walking up the stairs and hovering outside the bedroom door. "I hate school and I'm not going," said the voice from the bedroom, "I'm always getting things wrong, making mistakes and getting told off. Nobody likes me, and I've got no friends. And we have too many tests and they are too confusing. It's all just pointless, and I'm not going to school ever again." "I'm sorry, but you are going to school," said the mother through the door, continuing encouragingly, "Really, mistakes are how we learn and develop. And please try not to take criticism so personally. And I can't believe that nobody likes you - you have lots of friends at school. And yes, all those tests can be confusing, but we are all tested in many ways throughout our lives, so all of this experience at school is useful for life in general. Besides, you have to go, you are the headteacher."

(Based on a suggestion from P Hallinger, thanks.)

the soldiers and the trench story (leadership)

The story goes that sometime, close to a battlefield over 200 years ago, a man in civilian clothes rode past a small group of exhausted battle-weary soldiers digging an obviously important defensive position. The section leader, making no effort to help,

was shouting orders, threatening punishment if the work was not completed within the hour. "Why are you are not helping?" asked the stranger on horseback. "I am in charge. The men do as I tell them," said the section leader, adding, "Help them yourself if you feel strongly about it." To the section leader's surprise the stranger dismounted and helped the men until the job was finished. Before leaving the stranger congratulated the men for their work, and approached the puzzled section leader. "You should notify top command next time your rank prevents you from supporting your men - and I will provide a more permanent solution," said the stranger. Up close, the section leader now recognized General Washington, and also the lesson he'd just been taught. (This story is allegedly based on truth. Whatever, similar examples are found in history, and arise in modern times too, so please forgive the mythical possibility of the above attribution; the story's message is more important than its historical accuracy.)

the john wayne story (instructions, communications, understanding, confused messages)

It is said that when filming the biblical epic The Greatest Story Ever Told, the director George Stevens was trying to encourage extra passion from John Wayne when delivering the highly significant line, "Truly, this was the Son of God." "You are talking about Jesus - think about it," said Stevens, "You've got to say it with awe." For the next take John Wayne duly summoned his most intense feelings. He paused dramatically, and said: "Aw, truly this was the Son of God."

the blind men and the road story (stretching, dependency, risk, achievement under pressure)

A blind man had been waiting a while at a busy road for someone to offer to guide him across, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Excuse me," said the tapper, "I'm blind - would you mind guiding me across the road?" The first blind man took the arm of the second blind man, and they both crossed the road. Apparently this is a true story. The first blind man was the jazz pianist George Shearing. He is quoted (in Bartlett's Anecdotes) as saying after the event, "What could I do? I took him across and it was the biggest thrill of my life." There are times when we think we cannot do something and so do not stretch or take a risk. Being forced to stretch and take a risk can often help us to reduce our dependencies (on others, or our own personal safety mechanisms), and to discover new excitement and capabilities. The poem Come to the Edge is another wonderful perspective on risk and stretching.

the doctor and the thief story (ethical decision making - also adaptability, flexibility, accepting what cannot be changed)
A man goes to the doctor and says "Doctor, I've become a compulsive thief." The doctor prescribes him a course of tablets and says, "If you're not cured in a couple of weeks would you get me a widescreen television?" This is not a lesson of ideal behaviour, it's a humorous illustration of options - whether to try to change something, to accept it or to actively support it. Such decisions normally have two main reference points - the difficulty of the change, and the ethical implications of the situation. The Serenity Prayer is a different and less cynical view of change and choices.

the preacher and the farmer story (understanding the needs of your people, caring for minorities and individuals, looking deeper than the mainstream)
An old hill farming crofter trudges several miles through freezing snow to his local and very remote chapel for Sunday service. No-one else is there, aside from the clergyman.

"I'm not sure it's worth proceeding with the service - might we do better to go back to our warm homes and a hot drink?.." asks the clergyman, inviting a mutually helpful reaction from his audience of one. "Well, I'm just a simple farmer," says the old crofter, "But when I go to feed my herd, and if only one beast turns up, I sure don't leave it hungry." So the clergyman, feeling somewhat ashamed, delivers his service - all the bells and whistles, hymns and readings, lasting a good couple of hours - finishing proudly with the fresh observation that no matter how small the need, our duty remains. And he thanks the old farmer for the lesson he has learned. "Was that okay?" asks the clergyman, as the two set off home. "Well I'm just a simple farmer," says the old crofter, "But when I go to feed my herd, and if only one beast turns up, I sure don't force it to eat what I brought for the whole herd..." From which we see the extra lesson, that while our duty remains regardless of the level of need, we have the additional responsibility to ensure that we adapt our delivery (of whatever is our stock in trade) according to the requirements of our audience. (Adapted from a suggestion from P Hallinger, and based apparently on a story told by Roland Barth, whom I assume to be the US educationalist.)

the old lady and the hearing-aid story (assumptions about weaknesses, underestimating people, tactical advantage)
An old lady had a hearing-aid fitted, hidden underneath her hair. A week later she returned to the doctor for her check-up. "It's wonderful - I can hear everything now," she reported very happily to the doctor. "And is your family pleased too?" asked the doctor. "Oh I haven't told them yet," said the old lady, "And I've changed my will twice already.." (Thanks BC. Based on a letter published in the newspaper several years ago, written by the doctor. I suspect variations of this story have been told many times elsewhere too.)

the mobile phone story (assumptions, authority, control, the risks of modern communications and technology, privacy, security, identity theft, etc)
Several men were in a golf club locker room. A mobile phone rings. "Yes I can talk," says the man answering the call, "You're shopping are you? That's nice." The listening men smile to each other. "You want to order those new carpets? Okay.. And they'll include the curtains for an extra five thousand?.. Sure, why not?" More smiles among the listeners. "You want to book that week on Necker Island?.. They're holding the price at twentytwo thousand?.. Sounds a bargain.. You want a fortnight?.. If that's what you want honey, okay by me." Smiles turn to expressions of mild envy. "And you want to give the builder the go-ahead for the new conservatory? Seventy-five thousand if we say yes today? Sounds fair.. sure, that's fine." The listeners exchange glances of amazement. "Okay sugar, see you later.. Yes, love you too," says the man, ending the call. He looks at the other men and says, "Whose phone is this anyhow?.."

the trench-digger story (initiative, selfdevelopment, making things happen, career advancement, how to get a job requiring experience when you have none)
This is adapted from (apparently) a true story. An elderly couple retired to the countryside - to a small isolated cottage overlooking some rugged and rocky heathland.

One early morning the woman saw from her window a young man dressed in working clothes walking on the heath, about a hundred yards away. He was carrying a spade and a small case, and he disappeared from view behind a copse of trees. The woman thought no more about it but around the same time the next day she saw the man again, carrying his spade and a small case, and again he disappeared behind the copse. The woman mentioned this to her husband, who said he was probably a farmer or gamekeeper setting traps, or performing some other country practice that would be perfectly normal, and so not to worry. However after several more sightings of the young man with the spade over the next two weeks the woman persuaded her husband to take a stroll - early, before the man tended to arrive - to the copse of trees to investigate what he was doing. There they found a surprisingly long and deep trench, rough and uneven at one end, becoming much neater and tidier towards the other end. "How strange," the old lady said, "Why dig a trench here - and in such difficult rocky ground?" and her husband agreed. Just then the young man appeared - earlier than his usual time. "You're early," said the old woman, making light of their obvious curiosity, "We wondered what you were doing - and we also wondered what was in the case." "I'm digging a trench," said the man, who continued, realising a bigger explanation was appropriate, "I'm actually learning how to dig a good trench, because the job I'm being interviewed for later today says that experience is essential - so I'm getting the experience. And the case - it's got my lunch in it." He got the job. (Adapted from a suggestion - thanks R Columbo)

double-positive story (make your point and then know when to stop, language, communications, lateral thinking, quick-thinking)
On hearing one of his students use the expression, "I don't know nothing about it..." a teacher took the opportunity to explain about double negatives and correct grammar to the class.

The teacher explained, "In the English language a double negative makes the statement positive, so your assertion that you 'don't know nothing about it' is actually an admission that you do know something about it." Encouraged by the interest in this revelation among certain class members, the teacher went on to demonstrate more of his knowledge of world languages: "Of course not all languages operate according to the same grammatical rules, for example, in Russian, a double negative remains negative, although perhaps surprisingly, there is not a single language anywhere in the world in which a double positive makes a negative.." At which a voice from the back of the classroom called out ironically "Yeah, right.."

(This is adapted from a story sent to me by M Morris. Apparently the original story was based on a true incident at a Modern Language Association meeting in New York in the mid-1970's, reported in the NY Times. The quick-witted response in the original story, actually "Yeah, yeah..", seemingly came from from Sidney Morganbesser, a professor of philosophy who was noted for his speedy retorts. Thanks M Morris, Apr 2007.)

the bath and the bucket story (lateral thinking, making assumptions, dangers of judging people)
Given the title (on the subject of buckets..) and its quick simple message, this story is a good partner analogy to the rocks in a bucket time management story. The story illustrates lateral thinking, narrow-mindedness, the risks of making assumptions, and judging people and situations: A party of suppliers was being given a tour of a mental hospital. One of the visitors had made some very insulting remarks about the patients. After the tour the visitors were introduced to various members of staff in the canteen. The rude visitor chatted to one of the security staff, Bill, a kindly and wise expoliceman. "Are they all raving loonies in here then?" said the rude man. "Only the ones who fail the test," said Bill. "What's the test?" said the man. "Well, we show them a bath full of water, a bucket, a jug and an egg-cup, and we ask them what's the quickest way to empty the bath," said Bill. "Oh I see, simple - the normal ones know it's the bucket, right?"

"No actually," said Bill, "The normal ones say pull out the plug. Should I check when there's a bed free for you?"

the stamp story (customer services, communications, product design, customer inertia)
The staff at an old people's home were puzzled when one of the residents began gargling with TCP. They asked her why but all she would say was that something had happened at the post-office. This is what actually occurred. The old lady, who rarely ventured out, had visited the post office to post a letter. She bought a stamp, and since there was a long queue behind her she stepped aside. She put her change in her purse, licked the stamp and put it on her letter. Despite pressing and thumping and licking it again, the stamp failed to stick. "Excuse me, this stamp won't stick," said the old lady. "You need to peel the paper off the back," explained the clerk. The old lady put on her spectacles, fiddled for a few seconds to peel off the backing paper - and then licked the stamp again. "It still won't stick," interrupted the old lady again. "It's a self-stick stamp," said the assistant. "Well this one isn't sticking at all - there's something wrong with it," demanded the old lady. "Well it won't stick now because you've licked it." "Well I'm totally confused now," said the old lady. "Just give it here and I'll post it for you," said the cashier, and doing her best to explain continued, "These new stamps don't need licking. They are self-sticking. They save time. They are already sticky." The old lady continued to look blankly at the assistant. "Look," said the well-meaning but desperate post-office clerk, "Just imagine they've already been licked..." Which sent the old lady scurrying out of the door and across the road to the chemist. (Thanks Stephen Rafe for the original tale from which the above was adapted. Stephen also provided another example of confused customer service communications, in which the customer was convinced for a while that the customer service person was somehow

carrying on his work from inside prison, because the bad line was due to him speaking from his cell-phone..)

the shot at dawn campaign story (ethics and culture, leadership integrity and styles, decisionmaking, policy-making,)
By December 1916 more than 17,000 British troops were officially diagnosed as suffering from nervous or mental disability (we'd say shell-shock or post-traumatic stress disorder these days), despite which the British military authorities continued to charge and convict sufferers with 'cowardice' and 'desertion', and to sentence to death by firing squad many of those found 'guilty'. On 16 August 2006 the British government announced that it would pardon 308 British soldiers who were shot by firing squad for 'cowardice' and 'desertion' during the First World War of 1914-18. The decision was ratified by Parliament on 7 November 2006, and represented a remarkable u-turn by this and previous governments who had always firmly refuted any evidence and justification for pardoning the victims. This reversal followed and was largely due to decades of persistent lobbying and campaigning by organisations and individuals, many being families and descendents of the victims. It is not easy to imagine their suffering, especially of the widows and parents long since gone, for whom this decision came a lifetime too late. The story emphasises two things: first, that people in authority have a responsibility to behave with integrity. Second, that where people in authority fail to act with integrity, the persistence and determination of ordinary people will eventually force them to do so. Here is more background about the Shot At Dawn campaign, and the history of this particularly shameful example of British institutional behaviour. It provides lessons to us all about doing the right thing, and calling to account those who do not. See the related discussion ideas for developing awareness and understanding of the issues and how they relate to us all. N.B. Some people will not agree with this interpretation. This makes it such an interesting subject for debate, especially in transferring the issues and principles to modern challenges in organisations, and the world beyond.

direct mail campaign clanger story (human nature, integrity, delegation and training, and advertising is a funny business...)
This is a true story. Some years ago a client engaged a consultant to help with a small postal mailing to the purchasing departments of blue chip corporations. The consultant sourced the list (which was provided on MSExcel) and drafted the letter. Thereafter the client was keen to take control of the project, ie., to run the mail-merge and the fulfilment (basically printing, envelope-stuffing and mailing). The consultant discovered some weeks later that a junior member of the client's marketing department had sorted the list (changed the order of the listed organisations in the spreadsheet), but had sorted the company name column only, instead of all columns, with the result that every letter (about 500) was addressed and sent to a blue chip corporation at another entirely different corporation's address. Interestingly the mailing produced a particularly high response, which when investigated seemed to stem from the fact that an unusually high percentage of letters were opened and read, due apparently to the irresistible temptation of reading another corporation's mail...

the god and eve story (gender and sexual discrimination, equality, battle of the sexes debates, after-dinner speaking, etc)
"God, I've been thinking.." says Eve one day. "What's on your mind Eve?" says God. "Well, I know that you created me and this beautiful garden and all of these wonderful creatures, but lately I've been feeling that maybe there's more to life." "Go on..." says God. "Sometimes I get a bit bored - I fancy a bit of fun. And I get a bit fed up with all the heaving lifting and carrying, and warding off the mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers, not to mention that bloody snake. This garden can be dangerous place." "I see," says God, pausing for thought. "Eve, I have a cunning plan," says God, "I shall create Man for you." "Man?" asks Eve, "What is Man?"

"Man..." says God, "Is a flawed creature. He will have many weaknesses and disgusting habits. Man will lie, cheat and behave like an idiot - in fact mostly he'll be a complete pain in the backside. But on the plus side he'll be big and strong, and will be able to protect you, and hunt and kill things, which might be handy sometimes. He will tend to lose control of mind and body when aroused, but with a bit training can reach an acceptable standard in the bedroom department, if you know what I mean." "Hmm," says Eve, "Seems like this Man idea might be worth a try, but tell me God, is there anything else I need to know?" "Just this," says God, "Man comes with one condition... In keeping with his arrogant, deluded, self-important character, Man will naturally believe that he was made first, and frankly we all have better things to do than argue, so you must keep all this a secret between us, if that's okay with you. You know, woman to woman.." (unknown origin - if you can shed any light on the origin please contact me - thanks CB)

the wrong guy interview story (interviews, preparation, thinking on your feet, communications)
This is a true story. It concerned Guy Goma, a lovely cuddly business graduate from the Congo, who on 8th May 2006 attended the BBC building in West London for an interview for an IT job. At the same time, the BBC News 24 TV channel was expecting a Guy Kewney (now sadly deceased), editor of the website Newswireless.net, for a live 10.30am studio interview about the Apple court case judgement. (Apple Corps, owned by surviving Beatles McCartney and Starr, lost their case against Apple Computers, in which they sought to prevent the Apple name being used in relation to iTunes music downloads.) Due to failed communications, entirely the BBC's fault (both Guys were blameless in this), the BBC News 24 staff grabbed the wrong Guy (waiting in a different reception to Guy Kewney), who, being an unassuming, foreign and extremely polite fellow, dutifully took his place in the studio, and after declining make-up (really), was introduced on live TV to viewers as Guy Kewney, editor of the technology website 'Newswireless', and then asked three questions by the BBC News 24 business presenter Karen Bowerman about the Apple judgements and its implications for internet music downloading. Meanwhile the real Guy Kewney sat and watched 'himself' on the monitor in the BBC reception. See the 'wrong Guy' interview. (At some stage in the future the link to the BBC interview clip might cease working - I don't know how long they keep these things. Let me know when and if you can no longer see the video clip and I'll try to source it

elsewhere. As at Jun 2010 - thanks Joe - it seems that the clip is not so easy to play as it once was, although the video is still available via the BBC's 'Launch in stand alone player' link for the 'wrong Guy' item. What's so utterly fascinating about this story and the supporting video, is: Guy Goma initially expresses surprise about the interview situation, but, largely due to his broken English and heavy French accent the interviewer interprets and leads Mr Goma's response to mean that he is surprised about the court judgement. If you listen carefully Guy Goma does actually mention his 'interview' in his first answer. See the transcript below. However the pressure of the situation is too great and he has little option other than to play out the role that the fates have created for him. He actually does quite well, given that he knows little about the subject. Subsequent media reports that Guy Goma was a taxi driver are false - he's a business graduate. He later attended his IT job interview but regrettably was unsuccessful. You can read what Guy Kewney thought of it all on his own blog at www.newswireless.net (there are several entries read them all to see the full picture). As mentioned, sadly Guy Kewney has since died, on 8 Apr 2010. His blog as at Sep 2010 still stands. Please let me know if it ceases to be available. On hearing of Guy Kewney's passing (thanks D Guy - another different Guy..) I considered whether to remove or retain this item and obviously I decided to retain it. I never met Guy Kewney. From what I understand he seems to have been a lovely man. The opportunity to say this is part of my decision.

the wrong guy interview transcript

Karen Bowerman: ...Well, Guy Kewney is editor of the technology website Newswireless. [Camera switches to Guy Goma's face, portraying a mixture of shock, disbelief and impending disaster.] KB: Hello, good morning to you. Guy Goma: Good morning. KB: Were you surprised by this verdict today? GG: I am very surprised to see... this verdict, to come on me because I was not expecting that. When I came they told me something else and I am coming. Got an interview... [another word, impossible to discern] .... a big surprise anyway. KB: A big surprise, yes, yes. [seeming a little anxious] GG: Exactly. [growing in confidence] KB: With regard to the costs involved do you think now more people will be downloading online? GG: Actually, if you go everywhere you are gonna see a lot of people downloading to internet and the website everything they want. But I think, is much better for development and to empower people what they want and to get on the easy way and so faster if they are looking for.

KB: This does really seem the way the music industry's progressing now, that people want to go onto the website and download music. GG: Exactly. You can go everywhere on the cyber cafe and you can take [maybe 'check'?], you can go easy. It's going to be very easy way for everyone to get something to the internet. KB: Thank you [actually sounds more like 'Thank Kewney' - as if Ms Bowerman was a little distracted, no wonder]. Thanks very much indeed. Lessons from this:
y

Good clear communications are essential when managing any sort of interview. Pressure situations can easily lead people (especially interviewees) to give false impressions, which are no help to anyone. The behaviours demonstrated in this incident illustrate the power of suggestion, and NLP, albeit used mostly inadvertently in this case; the point is that all communications involve a hell of a lot more than just words.. The power of the media to interpret just about anything for their own journalistic purposes is bloody frightening.

the very old lady story (positive attitude, selfimage, ageism)

A very old lady looked in the mirror one morning. She had three remaining hairs on her head, and being a positive soul, she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she braided her three hairs, and she had a great day. Some days later, looking in the mirror one morning, preparing for her day, she saw that she had only two hairs remaining. "Hmm, two hairs... I fancy a centre parting today." She duly parted her two hairs, and as ever, she had a great day. A week or so later, she saw that she had just one hair left on her head. "One hair huh...," she mused, "I know, a pony-tail will be perfect." And again she had a great day. The next morning she looked in the mirror. She was completely bald. "Finally bald huh," she said to herself, "How wonderful! I won't have to waste time doing my hair any more.."

(Ack CB)

the train travellers story (relationships, assumptions, etc)

A wealthy businessman who is used to getting his own way finds himself sharing a sleeper compartment with a beautiful young woman as they travel to Brussells on the train. It is winter and the heating is not working so the compartment is cold. The two settle down to sleep. "Two strangers, on a train..." says the businessman. "Yes," says the woman. "A man and a woman - away from home - probably never meet again.." Says the businessman. "Yes," says the woman. "It's cold, isn't it?" says the businessman. "Yes," says the woman. "Could you pass me another blanket?" says the businessman, "... Or maybe we could pretend to be man and wife for tonight?.." "Yes, that would be good," says the woman, "Get your own bloody blanket."

the william pitt story (working creatively to reach agreement, managing situations and environments, facilitation of agreements)
There is the story of William Pitt, 1759-1806, British statesman and Prime Minister from 1783-1801, who once sought to expedite a crucial agreement in Parliament for the movement of the British fleet to defend against the French. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Newcastle, had certain objections, but when Pitt called on the Chancellor endeavouring to resolve the differences, he found the Chancellor distinctly unhappy in bed suffering with gout. The bedroom was freezing, and when Pitt remarked on this, Lord Newcastle replied that the cold weather would hinder the fleet movement, but more particularly that the combination of the cold conditions and the gout would prevent any further discussion of the issue at that time, which Pitt quickly judged to be at the root of the problem. Begging the Chancellor's pardon, Pitt calmly

removed his boots, climbed into bed and drew up the covers (apparently there was another bed in the room..), whereupon the two were able to discuss the matter and soon agreed a united way forward.

the biscuit factory story (making assumptions, other people's perspectives, individual needs and motivations)
This is a true story. Some years ago the following exchange was broadcast on an Open University sociology TV programme. An interviewer was talking to a female production-line worker in a biscuit factory. The dialogue went like this: Interviewer: How long have you worked here? Production Lady: Since I left school (probably about 15 years). Interviewer: What do you do? Production Lady: I take packets of biscuits off the conveyor belt and put them into cardboard boxes. Interviewer: Have you always done the same job? Production Lady: Yes. Interviewer: Do you enjoy it? Production Lady: Oooh Yes, it's great, everyone is so nice and friendly, we have a good laugh. Interviewer (with a hint of disbelief): Really? Don't you find it a bit boring? Production Lady: Oh no, sometimes they change the biscuits...

My thanks to Shirley Moon for this lovely story, who also points out the following lessons within it:
y

Do not impose your own needs and ambitions on to other people who may not share them. Don't assume that things that motivate you will motivate someone else.

Recognise that sources of happiness may vary widely between people.

See also the sections on personality styles, multiple intelligence and learning styles, and motivation, which all relate to this story.

a short story about eggs (time management, creative thinking and problem-solving)
A young woman was in her kitchen. A pan of water was simmering on the stove. She was making boiled eggs for breakfast. He walked in. Their eyes met. "Make love to me here, now," she said. They made love on the kitchen table. "Couldn't resist me, huh?" he said. "The egg timer is broken," she replied.

Of course this story is a bit far-fetched given that an egg timer lasts for three whole minutes.. (Ack Detoxman)

the translator story (communications, assumptions, creativity, deceit, language, relationships, just deserts)
The story goes that a prominent, married, philandering, wealthy politician took advantage of a young female Italian translator during an overseas visit. Shortly after his return home he received a phone call at his office from the woman informing him that she was pregnant and that he was definitely the father.

Seemingly experienced at dealing with such situations, the politician instructed the young woman, "I will arrange for you and the child to be provided for. Do not worry about money. I will pay ten times the typical Italian settlement, but this must be kept secret." "I see," said the young woman, a little taken aback, but since she knew the man and his reputation she was not unduly surprised, and was also entirely happy never to see or speak to him again. He went on, "Don't ever call me again. Send me a postcard with some sort of coded message confirming date of birth, that the child is healthy and whether a boy or girl. Use your imagination - you are a translator after all." "As you wish," said the young woman, and ended the call. A little under nine months later the politician's wife (who was also his PA) was opening his mail. When she came to a particular postcard the politician noticed and suddenly became attentive. "Here's a postcard..." said his wife. "Oh yes," said the politician, "What does it say?" "Just a silly joke I think," said his wife, continuing, as she watched the colour drain from her husband's face, "It says: 'March 12th - Just had three big beautiful bowls of spaghetti - all with meatballs..' " (Ack SF)

the helpful old lady story (check the facts, false assumptions, etc)
One afternoon, an old lady, laden with shopping, noticed two small boys on the front step of a house. With their bags and uniforms they were obviously going home after school. They were on tip-toe trying to reach the door-bell with a stick. "Poor little lads, they can't get in," she thought, "Parents these days just don't seem to care." So she marched up the path, reached over the boys and gave the bell a long firm push. The surprised boys turned around and screamed "Quick, run!" and promptly disappeared over the garden wall.

the buddha and the abuse story (responding to other people's negative behaviour; angry customers, disruptive kids, bad-tempered bosses, etc)
A tale is told about the Buddha, Gautama (563-483BC), the Indian prince and spiritual leader whose teachings founded Buddhism. This short story illustrates that every one of us has the choice whether or not to take personal offence from another person's behaviour. It is said that on an occasion when the Buddha was teaching a group of people, he found himself on the receiving end of a fierce outburst of abuse from a bystander, who was for some reason very angry. The Buddha listened patiently while the stranger vented his rage, and then the Buddha said to the group and to the stranger, "If someone gives a gift to another person, who then chooses to decline it, tell me, who would then own the gift? The giver or the person who refuses to accept the gift?" "The giver," said the group after a little thought. "Any fool can see that," added the angry stranger. "Then it follows, does it not," said the Buddha, "Whenever a person tries to abuse us, or to unload their anger on us, we can each choose to decline or to accept the abuse; whether to make it ours or not. By our personal response to the abuse from another, we can choose who owns and keeps the bad feelings." (This is related to Transactional Analysis)

the gandhi shoe story (selfless compassion, generosity without strings)

Mohandas [Mahatma] Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), the great Indian statesman and spiritual leader is noted for his unusual humanity and selflessness, which this story epitomises. Gandhi was boarding a train one day with a number of companions and followers, when his shoe fell from his foot and disappeared in the gap between the train and platform. Unable to retrieve it, he took off his other shoe and threw it down by the first. Responding to the puzzlement of his fellow travellers, Gandhi explained that a poor person who finds a single shoe is no better off - what's really helpful is finding a pair.

Separately, Gandhi was once asked what he thought of Western Civilisation. Gandhi replied: "I think that it would be a very good idea." The notion still applies. (More inspirational and amusing quotes.)

greta garbo negotiation story (negotiation tactics, negotiating position, independence and the power of choice)
Great Garbo (1905-90), the 1930's Swedish-born film star, demonstrated how to negotiate with a bullying adversary, and particularly the tactic of 'walking away'. After Garbo had become established as a major star, she decided to negotiate a contract that suitably reflected her considerable box-office value to the producers. Accordingly she demanded a weekly fee of $5,000 - compared to the derisory $350 a week she'd previously been paid. When film mogul Louis Mayer heard Garbo's demand he offered her $2,500. Garbo replied simply, in her Swedish-American accent, "I think I go home.." And off she went. Garbo returned to her hotel and stayed there, not budging, while Mayer stewed - for seven months - at which Mayer eventually caved in and gave Garbo what she asked for. (Interestingly Garbo never actually said, "I want to be alone". There phrase was in fact "I want to be left alone," which her character Grusinskaya said in Garbo's 1932 film Grand Hotel. The resonance of the words with Garbo's real life didn't just extend to her negotiating style: she retired in 1941 with the world still at her feet, and lived the rest of her life an obsessive recluse in New York after becoming a US citizen in 1951.)

the jesse james story (tactics, morality, good and bad in us all)
The notorious American Wild West bank robber Jesse James (1847-82) was hunted and demonised by the authorities, but was held in high regard by many ordinary folk. Here's an example of why: The story goes that Jesse James and his gang had taken refuge for a few days in ramshackle farmhouse after one of their raids. The old widow who lived there fed the men, and apologised for her modest offerings and the poor state of the accommodation. While the gang laid low, they learned from the widow that she faced eviction from her landlord and was expecting a visit from his debt collector any day.

Taking pity on the old lady, as they left, the gang gave her some of the spoils of their robbery to settle her debt - several hundred dollars, which was a small fortune in those days. The gang moved on, but only to a nearby copse, where for a couple more days they watched and waited for the arrival - and departure - of the debt collector, whom they promptly held up and robbed. Of course robbing anyone is bad, but if you've got to rob someone...

the gorilla story (negotiating, understanding communications, agreeing clear objectives and responsibilities)
A zoo had among its animals a female gorilla, whose mood was becoming increasingly difficult. The vet concluded that she was on heat and that a mate should be found. The vet contacted some other nearby zoos to find a partner for the broody female, but to no avail. The female gorilla's behaviour continued to worsen, but the vet noticed that she grew calmer, and strangely responsive, whenever a particularly well-built and none-toohandsome keeper entered the enclosure. Being an unprincipled and adventurous fellow, the vet put an outrageous proposition to the keeper: For a fee of five hundred pounds would the keeper consider spending a little 'quality time' with the gorilla, purely in the interests of research of course?.... The keeper, also an unprincipled and adventurous fellow, pondered the suggestion, and after a few minutes agreed to the offer, subject to three conditions. The vet, intrigued, listened to the keeper's demands: "First," the keeper said, "No kissing." "Fine," said the vet. "Second, no-one must ever know - if this gets out I'll kill you." "You have my word," said the vet, "And your final condition?" "It's just," said the keeper a little awkwardly, "Can I have a couple of weeks to raise the five hundred quid?" (With acknowledgements to Shane and apologies to vets and zoo-keepers everywhere.)

the priest and the politician story (time management, being late, public speaking)

After twenty-five years in the same parish, Father O'Shaunessey was saying his farewells at his retirement dinner. An eminent member of the congregation - a leading politician - had been asked to make a presentation and a short speech, but was late arriving. So the priest took it upon himself to fill the time, and stood up to the microphone: "I remember the first confession I heard here twenty-five years ago and it worried me as to what sort of place I'd come to... That first confession remains the worst I've ever heard. The chap confessed that he'd stolen a TV set from a neighbour and lied to the police when questioned, successfully blaming it on a local scallywag. He said that he'd stolen money from his parents and from his employer; that he'd had affairs with several of his friends' wives; that he'd taken hard drugs, and had slept with his sister and given her VD. You can imagine what I thought... However I'm pleased to say that as the days passed I soon realised that this sad fellow was a frightful exception and that this parish was indeed a wonderful place full of kind and decent people..." At this point the politician arrived and apologised for being late, and keen to take the stage, he immediately stepped up to the microphone and pulled his speech from his pocket: "I'll always remember when Father O'Shaunessey first came to our parish," said the politician, "In fact, I'm pretty certain that I was the first person in the parish that he heard in confession.." (Ack Stephen Hart)

lipstick kisses on the mirror story (creative thinking, creative problem-solving, creative management techniques, avoiding confrontation)
A school head was alerted by the caretaker to a persistent problem in the girls lavatories: some of the girl students were leaving lipstick kisses on the mirrors. The caretaker had left notices on the toilet walls asking for the practice to cease, but to no avail; every evening the caretaker would wipe away the kisses, and the next day lots more kisses would be planted on the mirror. It had become a bit of a game. The head teacher usually took a creative approach to problem solving, and so the next day she asked a few girl representatives from each class to meet with her in the lavatory. "Thank you for coming," said the head, "You will see there are several lipstick kisses in the mirrors in this washroom.." Some of the girls grinned at each other.

"As you will understand, modern lipstick is cleverly designed to stay on the lips, and so the lipstick is not easy at all to clean from the mirrors. We have therefore had to develop a special cleaning regime, and my hope is that when you see the effort involved you will help spread the word that we'd all be better off if those responsible for the kisses use tissue paper instead of the mirrors in future.." At this point the caretaker stepped forward with a sponge squeegee, which he took into one of the toilet cubicles, dipped into the toilet bowl, and then used to clean one of the lipstick-covered mirrors. The caretaker smiled. The girls departed. And there were no more lipstick kisses on the mirrors. (Thanks H)

measuring by averages story (analysis, measurement, statistics, etc)

Three statisticians went hunting in the woods. Before long, one of them pointed to a plump pigeon in a tree, and the three of them stopped and took aim. The first fired, missing the bird by a couple of inches to the left. Immediately afterwards the second fired, but also missed, a couple of inches to the right. The third put down his gun exclaiming, "Great shooting lads, on average I reckon we got it..." (ack K Hutchinson)

the blind golfers story (an ironic example of lack of empathy, and different people's perspectives)
A clergyman, a doctor and a business consultant were playing golf together one day and were waiting for a particularly slow group ahead. The business consultant exclaimed, "What's with these people? We've been waiting over half and hour! It's a complete disgrace." The doctor agreed, "They're hopeless, I've never seen such a rabble on a golf course." The clergyman spotted the approaching greenkeeper and asked him what was going on, "What's happening with that group ahead of us? They're surely too slow and useless to be playing, aren't they?" The greenkeeper replied, "Oh, yes, that's a group of blind fire-fighters. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime." The three golfers fell silent for a moment. The clergyman said, "Oh dear, that's so sad. I shall say some special prayers for them tonight." The doctor added, rather meekly, "That's a good thought. I'll get in touch with an ophthalmic surgeon friend of mine to see if there's

anything that can be done for them." After pondering the situation for a few seconds, the business consultant turned to the greenkeeper and asked, "Why can't they play at night?" (Other job-titles can be substituted instead of business consultant to suit the purpose of the story, for example, government advisor, venture capitalist, engineer, project manager, accountant, finance director, quality manager, etc)

the sales and marketing rugby analogy story (for teams, motivation, team-building, departmental cooperation, training, public speaking)
I am assured this is a true story. A consultant was asked to give a talk at a sales conference. The CEO asks him to focus on the importance of cooperation and teamwork between the sales and marketing teams, since neither group has a particularly high regard for the other, and the lack of cohesion and goodwill is hampering effectiveness and morale. The marketing staff constantly moan about the sales people 'doing their own thing' and 'failing to follow central strategy'; and the sales people say that the marketing people are all 'idle theorists who waste their time at exhibitions and agency lunches' and have 'never done a decent day's work in their lives'. Being a lover of rugby, the consultant decides to use the analogy of a rugby team's forwards and backs working together to achieve the best team performance: "......So, just as in the game of rugby, the forwards, like the marketing department, do the initial work to create the platform and to make the opportunities, and then pass the ball out to the backs, the sales department, who then use their skills and energy to score the tries. The forwards and the backs, just like marketing and sales, are each good at what they do: and they work together so that the team wins..." said the consultant, finishing his talk. The audience seemed to respond positively, and the conference broke for lunch. At the bar the consultant asked one of the top sales-people what he'd thought of the analogy had it given him food for thought? "Yes, I see what you mean," said the salesman, "It does make sense. The sales people - the backs, yes? - the backs need the marketing department - the forwards, yes? - to make the opportunities for us, so that we, the backs, can go and score the tries - to win the business. We work together as a team - each playing our own part - working as a team." The consultant beamed and nodded enthusiastically, only to be utterly dashed when the salesman added as an afterthought, "I still think our forwards are a bunch of wankers..."

(with thanks to Martin Deighton)

the lock and key story (kindness and generosity, 'good pebble ripples', memorable customer service experiences)
A British family were on holiday in a rented motor-home in the USA. Travelling through California they visited the Magic Mountain amusement park close by Los Angeles. Midafternoon, halfway through what was turning out to be a most enjoyable day at the park, Mum, Dad and the three kids came upon a particularly steep plummeting ride. In the queue, the ride attendants strongly warned everyone about the risks of losing hats, spectacles, coins and keys, etc., and these warnings were echoed by large signs around the ride. During the ride, Dad lost the keys. Due to the fact that the motor-home was a replacement vehicle resulting from a breakdown earlier in the holiday, there were no spare keys. And there were six keys on the lost bunch: ignition, front doors, side door, fuel tank, propane tank, and storage cupboards. The park attendants drove the family back to the motor-home, suggesting the least damaging ways to break into it. Fortunately a window had been left slightly open, enabling the middle son to be put in and to open the doors from the inside. Inside the motor-home Mum and Dad discussed what to do. They were stranded. Middle son (all of six years old) said he'd got a key - said he'd found it - but no-one was listening properly. "Perhaps it will fit, I'll get it." (The optimism of young children of course knows no bounds.) Not thinking for one second that little lad's key would fit, Dad tried it. Incredibly the key fitted the ignition - and the driver's door. Middle son is a hero. It seems he'd found the key in a cupboard when packing his clothes soon after the motor-homes were swapped after the first vehicle broke down. The next day back at the camp site, Dad called a local locksmith to see what could be done. "I might be able to make new keys from the locks, if you bring the vehicle to me," said the locksmith, so the family drove to the locksmith, whose business was in a small shopping centre in the California countryside. The locksmith looked at the motor-home, and said he'd try. "If you come back in an hour I'll know better what I can do for you."

The family went to the nearby shops and a coffee bar to pass the time. Dad returned to the locksmith to see how things were going. The locksmith says he thought he could make new keys for all the locks, but it would be a long job. In fact the job took the locksmith most of the day. The family hung around the locksmiths, visited the shops again, and generally made a day of being at the little shopping centre. While working on the locks and the keys, the locksmith talked with the family about England, about America, about the rides at Las Vegas, about motorhomes, about business, about locks, about families and kids, about lots of things. Late on in the afternoon the locksmith said that he'd nearly done - "But you have time to go get something to eat if you want. When you come back I'll be done." So the family went to a burger bar for something to eat. An hour later the family returned to the locksmith's shop. It was 4pm and they'd been at the shopping centre since 10.00 in the morning. When Dad entered the locksmith's shop the locksmith was smiling. He put two new gleaming bunches of keys on the counter. "Here you go - a new set of keys for all the locks, and a spare set too," said the locksmith, "And I tell you what I'm going to do..." Dad offered his credit card, gratefully. "You know, I've had such a great time with you guys today," says the locksmith, "You can have these for free."

This is a true story. It happened over ten years ago. I still tell people about it now, like I'm telling you. The company is Newhall Valencia Lock & Key, in the El Centro Shopping Center, Canyon Country, California. This little company gave me and my family an experience that transcended customer service, and I was delighted when I found their business card in my kitchen drawer the other day, because it prompted me to share this story and to properly express my thanks. Just a final note - I'm not suggesting that great customer service is about giving your products and services away. Obviously that's not a particularly sustainable business model. What I'm saying though, is that there are times when you'll see opportunity to do something really special for a customer, or for another human being, and when you do it, the ripples of your 'good pebble' can stretch around the world, and last for years and years. So, within the boundaries of what's possible and viable for you, drop in a good pebble whenever you can and make some ripples of your own.

the stranger and the gingernuts story (making assumptions, think before you act, different perspectives)
At the airport after a tiring business trip a lady's return flight was delayed. She went to the airport shop, bought a book, a coffee and a small packet containing five gingernut biscuits. The airport was crowded and she found a seat in the lounge, next to a stranger. After a few minutes' reading she became absorbed in her book. She took a biscuit from the packet and began to drink her coffee. To her great surprise, the stranger in the next seat calmly took one of the biscuits and ate it. Stunned, she couldn't bring herself to say anything, nor even to look at the stranger. Nervously she continued reading. After a few minutes she slowly picked up and ate the third biscuit. Incredibly, the stranger took the fourth gingernut and ate it, then to the woman's amazement, he picked up the packet and offered her the last biscuit. This being too much to tolerate, the lady angrily picked up her belongings, gave the stranger an indignant scowl and marched off to the boarding gate, where her flight was now ready. Flustered and enraged, she reached inside her bag for her boarding ticket, and found her unopened packet of gingernuts... (Adapted from a suggestion submitted by S Frost. Apparently the story appears in a variety of urban legends dating from at least 30 years ago, and is also described in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, book four, 1984, 'So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish'. Ack L Baldock.)

the england football story (cause and effect, foundations of failure, fundamental strategy, structure, planning and philosophy, strategic analysis)
When a business fails or struggles in some other way people commonly look for recent tactical or incidental causes, but the roots of failure are usually far deeper in foundational strategies, structures and philosophies. The poor performance of the England football team at the FIFA 2010 World Cup offers an example of a venture inflicted with fundamental problems, and therefore likely to fail. Here are some indicators (as at FIFA World Cup 2010) of foundational weakness and vulnerability in the basic organization and ethos of the England national football effort. Think of it like a business. Success is difficult when foundations are flaky and

misaligned. With a little imagination it is easy to relate these lessons/examples to the business world. The English Premiership (England's top domestic league and effectively the pool from which the national team is selected) is dominated by clubs which are:
y

Mostly owned, and the teams managed/coached, by people/companies from outside of the UK, who have little interest in the success of the England national team, and in many cases have very strong national football loyalties overseas. Mostly staffed by players from outside of England (two-thirds are from overseas), which restricts the pool of available English national talent, and also the opportunities for English home-grown talent to develop and become experienced. Clubs are very strongly profit-driven, and are so debt-ridden as to be effectively bankrupt. As a consequence of these commercial pressures, players are forced to play too many games in a season (generally far more than their international counterparts), without break, and so that when the World Cup happens it is during the one month in the year when players would normally be resting and recovering.

The leadership of the Football Association, guardian of England's national game, has for some years been chaotic and disjointed, indicators being:
y

Recent resignations of Chief Executive and Chairman. Regular scandals and infighting. Lack of control over domestic game and clubs.

y y

Other 'foundations of failure' indicators:

y

England has approximately 10% of the number of FIFA qualified coaches compared to European countries like Spain, Germany, Italy, and France (about 2,700 compared to about 20,000 or 30,000 in these other countries). The coach of the national team is not English and cannot speak English properly. It is not ideal to have coach who cannot communicate effectively, and by

virtue of his foreign nationality cannot possibly have English national pride in the truest sense. Would an Englishman ever coach the Italian or German national team? This is not xenophobia (dislike of foreigners) or discrimination, it is practicality and common sense.
y

The coach is paid 5 million (or 6m, depending on interpretation) per year, regardless of performance; moreover failure and early departure is effectively rewarded because of a contracted fixed two-year term termination payment (although the effect of this is probably to maintain a failed situation because the cost of change is prohibitive). England players are paid around 100,000 per week; for doing another job (playing for their clubs). Failure at national level may be slightly upsetting for a day or two, but it does not really hurt or matter. At least one England squad member had to be asked by the coach to make himself available for his country. Another could not be persuaded. National representation is a peak sporting achievement. It's worrying when candidates reject this notion, and just as worrying when such candidates are pursued and recruited. Culturally the integrity and ethos of football especially what it means to be a footballer - has been lost to the corporate world. The focus (of the role-models and therefore the kids) is no longer on ball skills and being the best - it's on the brands, the replica shirts, the day-glo boots and the millionaire celebrity lifestyles. Not much works well when hype dominates substance.

A national football team is in many ways like a business. It needs solid strategic and philosophical foundations. Misalignment at a basic level eventually produces problems at the level of tactical or operational implementation. Like a national football team, if a business fails at a tactical or operational level, the causes - and therefore the solutions are generally much deeper than they seem. This story can be useful in demonstrating/exploring the strategic business analysis tools such as SWOT, PEST and Porter's Five Forces model, and in researching fundamental drivers/indicators of strategic viability.

the new employee stories (importance of induction training for new starters, initiative and lateral thinking, interpretation, delegation, rules, checking and monitoring)
These (allegedly true) short stories provide amusing examples of lateral thinking and initiative, and staff training (or lack of) at the workplace. It is better to train people properly rather than assume that new starters have the necessary initiative to work out for themselves what they should be doing..

the new bus driver story

While transporting some unfortunate mental patients from one secure place to another, the newly appointed bus driver stopped at a roadside restaurant for natural break. On his return to the bus, all twenty patients were gone. Being a resourceful fellow and fearing the consequences of his negligence, he drove to the next bus stop, where he claimed to be a replacement for the usual service. Allowing twenty people aboard, the driver made straight for his destination, where he warned staff at the gates that the 'patients' were deluded and extremely volatile. The angry 'patients' were duly removed, sedated and incarcerated, and remained in detention for three days, until staff were able to check the records and confirm their true identities. The actual patients were never found.

the new elevator cleaner story

A new hotel employee was asked to clean the elevators and report back to the supervisor when the task was completed. When the employee failed to appear at the end of the day the supervisor assumed that like many others he had simply not liked the job and left. However, after four days the supervisor bumped into the new employee. He was cleaning in one of the elevators. "You surely haven't been cleaning these elevators for four days, have you?" asked the supervisor, accusingly. "Yes sir," said the employee, "This is a big job and I've not finished yet - do you realise there are over forty of them, two on each floor, and sometimes they are not even there.."

the bedtime story (communications, men and women, communications methods, relationships)
A man and his wife had been arguing all night, and as bedtime approached neither was speaking to the other. It was not unusual for the pair to continue this war of silence for

two or three days, however, on this occasion the man was concerned; he needed to be awake at 4:30am the next morning to catch an important flight, and being a very heavy sleeper he normally relied on his wife to wake him. Cleverly, so he thought, while his wife was in the bathroom, he wrote on a piece of paper: 'Please wake me at 4:30am - I have an important flight to catch'. He put the note on his wife's pillow, then turned over and went to sleep. The man awoke the next morning and looked at the clock. It was 8:00am. Enraged that he'd missed his flight, he was about to go in search of his errant wife to give her a piece of his mind, when he spotted a hand-written note on his bedside cabinet. The note said: 'It's 4:30am - get up.'

the sergeant major's rude parrot story (examples of management styles)

A retired sergeant major inherited a talking parrot from a recently departed relative who had run a busy dockside pub. For the first few days in his new home the normally talkative parrot was distinctly shy. The old major, despite his stern and disciplined ways, felt sorry for the bird, and gently encouraged it with soft words and pieces of fruit. After a week or so the parrot began to find its voice - a little at first - and then more so. Responding to the kind treatment, the parrot's vocabulary continued to recover, including particularly the many colourful expressions it had been taught in the dockside pub. The old sergeant major began to be quite irritated by the parrot's incessant rudeness, and after a few more days of worsening profanities, decided action was required to bring the bird under control. The sergeant major tried at first to incentivise the parrot with the promise of reward for good behaviour, but to no avail. He next tried to teach the bird a lesson by withdrawing its privileges, again to no avail; the parrot remained stubbornly rude. Finally the old major flipped into battleground management mode; he grabbed the bird, clamped his hands around its beak, and thrust the struggling, swearing parrot, into the top drawer of the freezer, slamming the door tightly shut. The swearing and struggling noises continued inside the freezer for a few seconds and then abruptly stopped. The sergeant major listened for a while and then, concerned that the parrot's shock might have been terminal, carefully opened the freezer door and opened the drawer to look. The parrot slowly clambered out of the drawer and perched on its edge. "I must apologise for my rude and disrespectful behaviour," said the parrot, "I promise never to use bad language again. And by the way, what did the turkey do?"

the farmer and the boy in the bog story (helping others, inspiration, gratitude and appreciation, good comes from doing good)
This widely used story is often told as if it's a true story. It is most certainly not. It is an urban legend, but even as such, the story contains great lessons and is very inspirational. Fleming was a poor Scottish farmer. One day at work in a field he heard a cry for help. Following the sound, Fleming came to a deep bog, in which a boy was stuck up to his chest, screaming and sinking. Farmer Fleming tied a rope around his own waist and the other end to a tree, and waded into the bog. After a mighty struggle in which it seemed they would both perish, the exhausted farmer pulled himself and the boy to safety. He took the lad back to the farmhouse, where Mrs Fleming fed him, dried his clothes, and when satisfied he had recovered, sent him on his way home. The next day a carriage arrived at the Fleming's humble farmhouse. An well-dressed man stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy whom Fleming had saved. "You saved my son's life," said the man to Fleming, "How can I repay you?" "I don't want payment," Fleming replied, "Anyone would have done the same." At that moment, Fleming's own young son appeared at the farmhouse door. "Is he your son?" the man asked. "Yes," said Fleming proudly. "I have an idea. Let me pay for his education. If he's like his father, he'll grow to be a man we'll both be proud of." And so he did. The farmer's son attended the very best schools, graduated medical college, and later became the world-renowned nobel prize-winning scientist and discoverer of penicillin, Sir Alexander Fleming. It is said that many years later, the grown man who'd been saved from the bog as a boy, was stricken with pneumonia. Penicillin saved his life. His name? Sir Winston Churchill. (I repeat this is an urban legend - it is not a true story - so I recommend you present it as such when you tell it. Ack B McFarlane)

the brewery story (to challenge belief systems and assumptions, and the need for questioning pointless routine or policy)
It has been suggested to me that this is a true story: A very old traditional brewery decided to install a new canning line, so as to enable its beer products to be marketed through the supermarket sector. This represented a major change for the little company, and local dignitaries and past employees were invited to witness the first running of the new canning line, which was followed by an buffet and drinks. After the new line had been switched on successfully, and the formalities completed, the guests relaxed in small groups to chat and enjoy the buffet. In a quiet corner stood three men discussing trucks and transport and distribution, since one was the present distribution manager, and the other two were past holders of the post, having retired many years ago. The three men represented three generations of company distribution management, spanning over sixty years. The present distribution manager confessed that his job was becoming more stressful because company policy required long deliveries be made on Monday and Tuesday, short deliveries on Fridays, and all other deliveries mid-week. "It's so difficult to schedule things efficiently - heaven knows what we'll do with these new cans and the tight demands of the supermarkets..." The other two men nodded in agreement. "It was the same in my day," sympathised the present manager's predecessor, "It always seemed strange to me that trucks returning early on Mondays and Tuesdays couldn't be used for little local runs, because the local deliveries had to be left until Friday.." The third man nodded, and was thinking hard, struggling to recall the policy's roots many years ago when he'd have been a junior in the despatch department. After a pause, the third man smiled and then ventured a suggestion. "I think I remember now," he said, "It was the horses..... During the Second World War fuel rationing was introduced. So we mothballed the trucks and went back to using the horses. On Mondays the horses were well-rested after the weekend - hence the long deliveries. By Friday the horses so tired they could only handle the short local drops..." Soon after the opening of the new canning line the company changed its delivery policy. (Ack R Chagar) See also the 'we've always done it that way' story and the fish baking story and the monkey story.

the rowing competition story (identifying and managing performance improvement, establishing cause and accountability, theory x vs theory y, daft executive judgements)
The boards of the two fiercely competitive companies decided to organize a rowing match to challenge each other's organisational and sporting abilities. The first company was strongly 'theory X': ruthless, autocratic, zero staff empowerment, etc. The second company was more 'theory y': a culture of developing people, devolved responsibility and decision-making. Race day arrived. The Y company's boat appeared from the boat-house first, with its crew: eight rowers and a helmsman (the cox). Next followed the X company boat and its crew - eight helmsmen and a single rower. Not surprisingly the Y company's boat won an easy victory. The next day the X company board of directors held an inquest with the crew, to review what had been learned from the embarrassing defeat, which might be of benefit to the organization as a whole, and any future re-match. After a long and wearing meeting the X company board finally came came to their decision. They concluded that the rower should be replaced immediately because clearly he had not listened well enough to the instructions he'd been given. (Ack JJ Lasseur)

the performance evaluation story (theory x shortcomings, management myopia)

Following a poor first-half year performance the board of Company X tasked a senior manager to investigate what was happening on the factory floor, since the directors believed poor productivity was at the root of the problem. While walking around the plant, the investigating manager came upon a large warehouse area where a man stood next to a pillar. The manager introduced himself as the person investigating performance on the factory floor, appointed by the board, and then asked the man by the pillar what he was doing. "It's my job," replied the man, "I was told to stand by this pillar."

The investigator thanked the man for his cooperation and encouraged him to keep up the good work. The investigator next walked into a large packing area, where he saw another man standing next to a pillar. The investigator again introduced himself and asked the man what he was doing. "I've been told to stand by this pillar, so that's what I do." said the man. Two weeks later the investigator completed his report and duly presented his findings to the board, who held a brief meeting to decide remedial action. The board called the investigator back into the room, thanked him for his work, and then instructed him to sack one of the men he'd found standing by pillars, since obviously this was a duplication of effort. (Ac JJL)

no exit story (different perspectives, viewpoints, how different perspectives cause one thing to appear as two different things)
A man checked into a hotel for the first time in his life, and goes up to his room. Five minutes later he called the reception desk and said: "You've given me a room with no exit. How do I leave?" The desk clerk said, "Sir, that's absurd. Have you looked for the door?" The man said, "Well, there's one door that leads to the bathroom. There's a second door that goes into the closet. And there's a door I haven't tried, but it has a 'do not disturb' sign on it." (Ack B McFarlane) See also the blind men and the elephant story below.

the old couple story (positive/negative outlook, blame, attitude)

An elderly couple, married for sixty years, took a rare vacation. They were not well-off but were in good health, perhaps because the wife had insisted on a strict diet of healthy foods, no alcohol, no smoking, and lots of gym exercise for most of their lives. Sadly their plane crashed however, and duly they both entered heaven, where St Peter escorted them through the Pearly Gates, and into a waiting limousine. Driving through beautiful countryside they drew up at a beautiful mansion and were shown inside. It

was furnished in gold and fine silks, with a splendid kitchen and a sumptuous lounge stocked with wonderful food and drink - there was even a waterfall in the master bathroom. A maid was hanging beautiful designer clothes in the walk-in wardrobes. They gasped in astonishment when St Peter said, "Welcome to heaven. This will be your home now." The old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. "Nothing," Peter replied, "this is your heavenly reward." The old man looked out of the window and saw a magnificent championship golf course. "What are the green fees?" he asked suspiciously. "This is heaven," St Peter replied, "You can play for free whenever you wish." Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them. Anticipating the old man's next question, St Peter said, "Don't ask, this is heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy." The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife. "Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?" he asked. "This is heaven. You can eat and drink as much as you like, and you will never get fat or sick." "I don't need to go to the gym?" the old man pressed. "Not unless you want to," St Peter replied. "No testing my sugar or blood pressure or..." "Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself." The old man glared at his wife, "You and your bloody bran muffins. We could have been here ten years ago!" (Ack CB)

two brothers and the geese story (initiative, responsibility, thinking outside the box, anticipating, strategic anticipation, adding value to service, value and reward)

Two sons work for their father on the family's farm. The younger brother had for some years been given more responsibility and reward, and one day the older brother asks his father to explain why. The father says, "First, go to the Kelly's farm and see if they have any geese for sale we need to add to our stock." The brother soon returns with the answer, "Yes they have five geese they can sell to us." That father then says, "Good, please ask them the price." The son returns with the answer, "The geese are 10 each." The father says, "Good, now ask if they can deliver the geese tomorrow." And duly the sone returns with the answer, "Yes, they can deliver the geese them tomorrow." The father asks the older brother to wait and listen, and then calls to the younger brother in a nearby field, "Go to the Davidson's Farm and see if they have any geese for sale - we need to add to our stock." The younger brother soon returns with the answer, "Yes, they have five geese for 10 each, or ten geese for 8 each; and they can deliver them tomorrow - I asked them to deliver the five unless they heard otherwise from us in the next hour. And I agreed that if we want the extra five geese we could buy them at 6 each." The father turned to the older son, who nodded his head in appreciation - he now realised why his brother was given more responsibility and reward. (adapted from a suggestion - thanks PI)

the piano story (mentoring, coaching, understanding the other person's development needs)
A mother wished to encourage her small girl's interest in the piano and so took her a local concert featuring an excellent pianist. In the entrance foyer the mother met an old friend and the two stopped to talk. The little girl was keen to see inside the hall and so wandered off, unnoticed by her mother. The girl's mother became concerned when she entered the hall and could see no sign of her daughter. Staff were notified and an announcement was made asking the audience to look out for the little lost girl. With the concert due to start, the little girl had still not been found. In preparation for the pianist's entrance, the curtains drew aside, to reveal the little girl sitting at the great

piano, focused in concentration, quietly picking out the notes of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. The audience's amusement turned to curiosity when the pianist entered the stage, walked up to the little girl, and said "Keep playing." The pianist sat down beside her, listened for a few seconds, and whispered some more words of encouragement. He then began quietly to play a bass accompaniment, and then a few bars later reached around the little girl to add more accompaniment. At the end of the impromptu performance the audience applauded loudly as the pianist took the little girl back to her seat to be reunited with her mother. The experience was inspirational for everyone, not least the small girl. It takes just a few moments to make somebody's day, to help someone with their own personal aims and dreams - especially someone who looks up to you for encouragement and support. (Ack PC)

the angry customer story (funny customer service example)

Allegedly a true story from the old airport in Denver: a major airline had cancelled a very busy flight and a lone check-in agent is busy trying to sort out all the displaced passengers. A very angry and aggressive man barges his way to the front of the queue to confront her. He says says that he is flying first class and demands to go on the flight. The agent politely explains the situation and asks that people take their place in the queue. The man bellows at her, "Do you know who I am?" - at which the agent calmly picks up the microphone for the PA system, and announces to the airport, "This is (airline name) desk 64; we have a gentleman here who does not know who he is. If anyone can come and identify him please do so." The man, now purple with rage, yells at her, "Well f**k you.." - to which the agent replies, "And you'll have to stand in line for that as well, Sir.." (Ack MS)

the clap and cheer story (positive attitude, taking pride in whatever you do)
A small boy was auditioning with his classmates for a school play. His mother knew that he'd set his heart on being in the play - just like all the other children hoped too - and she feared how he would react if he was not chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, the little boy's mother went to the school gates to collect her son. The little

lad rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what Mum," he shouted, and then said the words that provide a lesson to us all, "I've been chosen to clap and cheer." (Ack F Laufs)

the bank story (a lesson in customer service, how bad policy encourages poor service)
I am assured this is a true story from a UK bank. The bank concerned had introduced a charge to be levied when people paid in money to be credited to an account held by a different bank. The charge was 50p and had been in force for about 6 months or so. A well to do, upper-class lady enters the bank and presents the cashier a cheque (check) which she asks to be paid into an account held by a different bank. The cashier duly tells the lady that there will be a charge of 50p. Indignantly, she tells him, "I wasn't charged the last time." To which the cashier immediately replies, "Well that will be a pound then..." (Ack MS)

the fish baking story (to challenge belief systems and assumptions, and illustrate pointless routine and the need for questioning)
A little girl was watching her mother prepare a fish for dinner. Her mother cut the head and tail off the fish and then placed it into a baking pan. The little girl asked her mother why she cut the head and tail off the fish. Her mother thought for a while and then said, "I've always done it that way - that's how babicka (Czech for grandma) did it." Not satisfied with the answer, the little girl went to visit her grandma to find out why she cut the head and tail off the fish before baking it. Grandma thought for a while and replied, "I don't know. My mother always did it that way." So the little girl and the grandma went to visit great grandma to find ask if she knew the answer. Great grandma thought for a while and said, Because my baking pan was too small to fit in the whole fish .

(Ack M Hamanova) See also: the we've always done it that way story and the monkey story and the brewery story.

the donkey story (positive attitudes, turning problems into opportunities)

One day a farmer's donkey fell into a well. The farmer frantically thought what to do as the stricken animal cried out to be rescued. With no obvious solution, the farmer regretfully concluded that as the donkey was old, and as the well needed to be filled in anyway, he should give up the idea of rescuing the beast, and simply fill in the well. Hopefully the poor animal would not suffer too much, he tried to persuade himself. The farmer asked his neighbours help, and before long they all began to shovel earth quickly into the well. When the donkey realised what was happening he wailed and struggled, but then, to everyone's relief, the noise stopped. After a while the farmer looked down into the well and was astonished by what he saw. The donkey was still alive, and progressing towards the top of the well. The donkey had discovered that by shaking off the dirt instead of letting it cover him, he could keep stepping on top of the earth as the level rose. Soon the donkey was able to step up over the edge of the well, and he happily trotted off. Life tends to shovel dirt on top of each of us from time to time. The trick is to shake it off and take a step up. (Ack TB)

the shepherd story (IT consultants, business consultancy, knowing your facts - ironic example)
A shepherd was tending his flock in a field, when a new sports car screeched to a stop on the road nearby in a cloud of dust. The driver, a young man in expensive designer clothes and sunglasses, leans out of the window and shouts over to the shepherd, "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have here, can I take one?" The shepherd looks up slowly up at the young man, then looks at his peaceful flock, and calmly answers, "Sure, why not?" The young man steps out of his car holding a state-of-the-art palmtop pda, with which he proceeds to connects to a series of websites, first calling up satellite navigation

system to pinpoint his location, then keying in the location to generate an ultra-high resolution picture of the field. After emailing the photo to an image processing facility, the processed data is returned, which he then feeds into an online database, and enters the parameters for a report. Within another few seconds a miniature printer in the car produces a full colour report containing several pages of analysis and results. The young man studies the data for a few more seconds and returns to the shepherd. "You have exactly one-thousand five-hundred and eighty-six sheep, including three rams, and seven-hundred and twenty-two lambs." "That's right," says the shepherd, mildly impressed. "Well, I guess that means you get to take one of my sheep." The young man makes his choice and loads the animal onto the back seat of his car, at which the shepherd says, almost as an afterthought, "Hey there, if I can tell you what your business is, will you give me back my sheep?" The young man, feeling confident, agrees. "You're a consultant," says the shepherd. "Wow, that's right," says the young man, taken aback, "How did you guess that?" "No guessing required," answers the shepherd, "You showed up here even though nobody called you. You took a fee for giving me an answer that already know, to a question I never asked, and you know nothing about my business. Now give me back my dog." (Adapted from a version sent by S Faure. Thanks also T Curran.)

speed camera story (creative thinking, teamwork, understanding and using modern technology - do not try this at home....)
This allegedly true story, supposedly leaked by the Australian Department of Transport, concerns four Australian young men and a mobile speed camera police van. Three of the four lads engaged the speed camera operators in conversation about the camera equipment, and the number of cars caught, etc., while the fourth unscrewed the van's front registration plate. Bidding the police farewell, the lads returned home, screwed the registration plate to their own car and proceeded to complete 17 very fast round trips through the speed camera's radar. The traffic penalties department subsequently issued 17 speeding tickets to itself.

the three engineers story (different approaches to problem-solving, modern IT, etc)
A mechanical engineer, a systems engineer, and a software engineer are in a car driving down a steep mountain road when the brakes fail. The driver desperately pumps the brake pedal, trying to control the speeding vehicle around cliff-edge bends, while the passengers do their best not to panic. As the car hurtles towards an impossible corner the driver spots an escape route into a hedge and a haystack beyond, where the car eventually grinds to a surprisingly safe stop. The three engineers all get out, shaken, relieved, and take turns to assess the situation. 'Hmm,' says the mechanical engineer, 'It looks like a brake line was leaking - let's repair the split, bleed the brakes, and we should be able to get on our way..." The systems engineer thinks for a while and says, 'Maybe we need to contact the manufacturer and the dealer to confirm exactly what the problem is..." The software engineer slowly climbs into the driver's seat and, gesturing for the others to join him, says, 'How about we get back on the road and see if it happens again?..'

(An alternative final line, suggested kindly and brilliantly by David Shiell, would be: "How about if we close all the windows and try again..")

the sweet old couple story (dangers of making assumptions, understand before you intervene)
A little old couple walked into a fast food restaurant. The little old man walked up to the counter, ordered the food, paid, and took the tray back to the table where the little old lady sat. On the tray was a hamburger, a small bag of fries and a drink. Carefully the old man cut the hamburger in two, and divided the fries into two neat piles. He sipped the drink and passed it to the little old lady, who took a sip and passed it back. A young man on a nearby table had watched the old couple and felt sorry for them. He offered to buy them another meal, but the old man politely declined, saying that they were used to sharing everything. The old man began to eat his food, but his wife sat still, not eating. The young continued to watch the couple. He still felt he should be offering to help. As the little old man finished eating, the old lady had still not started on her food. "Ma'am, why aren't you eating?" asked the young man sympathetically. The old lady looked up and said politely, "I'm waiting for the teeth.."

the men and women differences story (the other person's perspective, gender empathy, for weddings, best-man speeches, johari window, empathy, NLP, etc)
Not really a story, more of a silly list that circulates by email from time to time. Some things that men generally take for granted, and fail to realize that women cannot.
y y y y y y y y y

Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just 'too icky'. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental - $100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood - all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars.

y y y y

y y y y y y

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck. You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket-knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache. You can do Christmas shopping for twenty-five relatives on 24th December in forty-five minutes.

y y y y y y y y y y

y y y

(Ack CB and Tom Robinson - please contact us if you know the author of the original 20 items to which Tom refers in his explanation of his own particular input: "... I received the e-mail originally back in 2002, with around 20 reasons why it's good to be a bloke... I spent most of the following 3 days making the number up to 50..." )

the aunt karen story (relevance and reliability of lessons, morals and examples)
A teacher told her young class to ask their parents for a family story with a moral at the end of it, and to return the next day to tell their stories. In the classroom the next day, Joe gave his example first, "My dad is a farmer and we have chickens. One day we were taking lots of eggs to market in a basket on the front

seat of the truck when we hit a big bump in the road; the basket fell off the seat and all the eggs broke. The moral of the story is not to put all your eggs in one basket.." "Very good," said the teacher. Next, Mary said, "We are farmers too. We had twenty eggs waiting to hatch, but when they did we only got ten chicks. The moral of this story is not to count your chickens before they're hatched.." "Very good," said the teacher again, very pleased with the response so far. Next it was Barney's turn to tell his story: "My dad told me this story about my Aunt Karen.... Aunt Karen was a flight engineer in the war and her plane got hit. She had to bail out over enemy territory and all she had was a bottle of whisky, a machine gun and a machete." "Go on," said the teacher, intrigued. "Aunt Karen drank the whisky on the way down to prepare herself; then she landed right in the middle of a hundred enemy soldiers. She killed seventy of them with the machine gun until she ran out of bullets. Then she killed twenty more with the machete till the blade broke. And then she killed the last ten with her bare hands." "Good heavens," said the horrified teacher, "What did your father say was the moral of that frightening story?" "Stay away from Aunt Karen when she's been drinking..." (Ack CB - if you know the origin please tell us)

the tickle me elmo story (induction training, communications, giving instructions, delegation)
This allegedly took place in a factory in the USA which manufactured the 'Tickle Me Elmo' toys, (a children's plush cuddly toy which laughs when tickled under the arm). The legend has is it that a new employee was hired at the Tickle Me Elmo factory and she duly reported for her first day's induction training, prior to being allocated a job on the production line. At 08:45 the next day the personnel manager received a visit from an excited assembly line foreman who was not best pleased about the performance of the new recruit. The foreman explained that she was far too slow, and that she was causing the entire line to back-up, delaying the whole production schedule. The personnel manager asked to see what was happening, so both men proceeded to the factory floor. On arrival they saw that the line was indeed badly backed-up - there were hundreds of Tickle Me Elmos strewn all over the factory floor, and they were still piling up. Virtually buried in a mountain of toys sat the new employee earnestly focused on her work. She had a roll of red plush fabric and a bag of marbles. The two men

watched amazed as she cut a little piece of fabric, wrapped it around a pair of marbles and carefully began sewing the little package between Elmo's legs. The personnel manager began to laugh, and it was some while before he could compose himself, at which he approached the trainee. "I'm sorry," he said to her, not able to disguise his amusement, "But I think you misunderstood the instructions I gave you yesterday.... Your job is to give Elmo two test tickles."

the get in the wheelbarrow story (belief, trust, faith, commitment, courage, conviction)
The story goes: upon completing a highly dangerous tightrope walk over Niagara Falls in appalling wind and rain, 'The Great Zumbrati' was met by an enthusiastic supporter, who urged him to make a return trip, this time pushing a wheelbarrow, which the spectator had thoughtfully brought along. The Great Zumbrati was reluctant, given the terrible conditions, but the supporter pressed him, "You can do it - I know you can," he urged. "You really believe I can do it?" asked Zumbrati. "Yes - definitely - you can do it." the supporter gushed. "Okay," said Zumbrati, "Get in the wheelbarrow..."

the charles plumb parachutes story (supporting others, acknowledging others, saying thanks)
Charles Plumb was a navy jet pilot. On his seventy-sixth combat mission, he was shot down and parachuted into enemy territory. He was captured and spent six years in prison. He survived and now lectures on the lessons he learned from his experiences. One day, a man in approached Plumb and his wife in a restaurant, and said, "Are you Plumb the navy pilot?" "Yes, how did you know?" asked Plumb. "I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb was amazed - and grateful: "If the chute you packed hadn't worked I wouldn't be here today..."

Plumb refers to this in his lectures: his realisation that the anonymous sailors who packed the parachutes held the pilots' lives in their hands, and yet the pilots never gave these sailors a second thought; never even said hello, let alone said thanks. Now Plumb asks his audiences, "Who packs your parachutes?..... Who helps you through your life?.... Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually?....... Think about who helps you; recognise them and say thanks." (Ack JK, and thanks to the person who wrote to confirm that Charles Plum still speaks and lectures.)

the chickens story (communications, confusing instructions, testing, research and development)
This is allegedly a true story. Engineers at a major aerospace company were instructed to test the effects of bird-strikes (notably geese) on the windshields of airliners and military jets. To simulate the effect of a goose colliding with an aircraft travelling at high speed, the test engineers built a powerful gun, with which they fired dead chickens at the windshields. The simulations using the gun and the dead chickens worked extremely effectively, happily proving the suitability of the windshields, and several articles about the project appeared in the testing industry press. It so happened that another test laboratory in a different part of the world was involved in assessing bird-strikes - in this case on the windshields and drivers' cabs of new very high speed trains. The train test engineers had read about the pioneering test developed by the aerospace team, and so they approached them to ask for specifications of the gun and the testing methods. The aerospace engineers duly gave them details, and the train engineers set about building their own simulation. The simulated bird-strike tests on the train windshields and cabs produced shocking results. The supposed state-of-the-art shatter-proof high speed train windshields offered little resistance to the high-speed chickens; in fact every single windshield that was submitted for testing was smashed to pieces, along with a number of train cabs and much of the test booth itself. The horrified train engineers were concerned that the new high speed trains required a safety technology that was beyond their experience, so they contacted the aerospace team for advice and suggestions, sending them an extensive report of the tests and failures. The brief reply came back from the aero-engineers: "You need to defrost the chickens...." (Ack S Money)

the chihuahua and the leopard story (creative thinking, quick thinking, escaping, averting disaster, bluff and boldness)
Like most great stories, this one exists in different versions, although the meaning is the same. Many feature a poodle, or another small breed of dog instead of a chihuahua. A lady takes her pet chihuahua with her on a safari holiday. Wandering too far one day the chihuahua gets lost in the bush, and soon encounters a very hungry looking leopard. The chihuahua realises he's in trouble, but, noticing some fresh bones on the ground, he settles down to chew on them, with his back to the big cat. As the leopard is about to leap, the chihuahua smacks his lips and exclaims loudly, "Boy, that was one delicious leopard. I wonder if there are any more around here." The leopard stops mid-stride, and slinks away into the trees. "Phew," says the leopard, "that was close - that evil little dog nearly had me." A monkey nearby sees everything and thinks he'll win a favour by putting the stupid leopard straight. The chihuahua sees the monkey go after the leopard, and guesses he might be up to no good. When the leopard hears the monkey's story he feels angry at being made a fool, and offers the monkey a ride back to see him exact his revenge. The little dog sees them approaching and fears the worse. Thinking quickly, the little dog turns his back, pretends not to notice them, and when the pair are within earshot says aloud, "Now where's that monkey got to? I sent him ages ago to bring me another leopard..."

the cannibals story (management, managers, secretaries, initiative, habits, conforming, rules and rule-breaking)
A big corporation hired several cannibals. "You are all part of our team now," said the HR manager during the welcome briefing. "You get all the usual benefits and you can go to the cafeteria for something to eat, but please don't eat any of the other employees." The cannibals promised they would not.

A few weeks later the cannibals' boss remarked, "You're all working very hard, and I'm satisfied with you. However, one of our secretaries has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to her?" The cannibals all shook their heads, "No," they said. After the boss left, the leader of the cannibals said to the others angrily, "Right, which one of you idiots ate the secretary?" A hand rose hesitantly in admission. "You fool!" said the leader, "For weeks we've been eating managers and no one noticed anything, but nooo, you had to go and eat someone important!..." (Ack A Fiorello)

the dog and the bone story (be content with what you have, greed and envy seldom pay)
A dog held a juicy bone in his jaws as he crossed a bridge over a brook. When he looked down into the water he saw a another dog below with what appeared to be a bigger juicier bone. He jumped into the brook to snatch the bigger bone, letting go his own bone, He quickly learned of course that the bigger bone was just a reflection, and so he ended up with nothing. More Aesop's fables (Thanks J Phillips)

the "we've always done it that way.." story (time management, challenging habits and questioning procedures, challenging assumptions and belief systems)
Apparently this is based on a true incident. A quality management consultant was visiting a small and somewhat antiquated English manufacturing company, to advise on improving general operating efficiency. The advisor was reviewing a particular daily report which dealt with aspects of productivity, absentee rates, machine failure, downtime, etc. The report was completed manually onto a photocopied proforma that was several generations away from the original master-copy, so its headings and descriptions were quite difficult to understand. The photocopied forms were particularly fuzzy at the top-right corner, where a small box had a heading that was not clear at all. The advisor was interested to note that the figure '0' had been written in every daily

report for the past year. On questioning the members of staff who completed the report, they told him that they always put a zero in that box, and when he asked them why they looked at each other blankly. "Hmmm.., I'm not sure about that," they each said, "I guess we've just always done it that way." Intrigued, the consultant visited the archives to see if he could find a clearer form, to discover what was originally being reported and whether it actually held any significance. When he found the old reports, he saw that the zero return had continued uninterrupted for as far back as the records extended - at least the past thirty years but none of the forms was any clearer than those presently in use. A little frustrated, he packed away the old papers and turned to leave the room, but something caught his eye. In another box he noticed a folder, promisingly titled 'master forms'. Sure enough inside it he found the original daily report proforma master-copy, in pristine condition. In the top right corner was the mysterious box, with the heading clearly shown ...... 'Number of Air Raids Today'. See also the brewery story, the fish baking story and the monkey story.

the dam story (how to write a good letter, making assumptions, jumping to conclusions, and how to defend wrong accusations with humour)
Here are two letters, according to the story both real, the first allegedly sent to a man named Ryan DeVries by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, State of Michigan; the second is Mr DeVries' amusing response. The letters provide a great example of the dangers of making assumptions and jumping to conclusions, and also how to reply to a false accusation with humour and style.

the Michigan DOEQ letter

Subject: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County Dear Mr. DeVries, It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity:

Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated. The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2003. Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that our staff may schedule a follow-up site inspection. Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action. We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter. Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions. Sincerely, District Representative Land and Water Management Division

Mr Devries' letter response

Dear Sirs, Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County. Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been handed to me to respond to. I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget, Pierson, Michigan. A couple of beavers are in the process (State unauthorized) of constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials "debris". I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam

persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic. As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity. My first dam question to you is: (1) are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers or (2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request? If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated. I have several concerns. My first concern is: aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation, so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event causing flooding is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling them dam names. If you want the stream "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers, but if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter, they being unable to read English. In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams). So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2003? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them then. In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality (health) problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! (The bears are not careful where they dump!) Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office. Thank you Ryan Devries and the Dam Beavers

Footnote: I'm grateful to J DeKorne for pointing out that these letters are in fact based on real correspondence involving Stephen Tvedten of Marne, Michigan. The original letters are here.

the blind men and the elephant (perception, truth, perspective, empathy, communications and understanding)
There are various versions of the story of the blind men and the elephant. The blind men and the elephant is a legend that appears in different cultures - notably China, Africa and India - and the tale dates back thousands of years. Some versions of the story feature three blind men, others five or six, but the message is always the same. Here's a story of the six blind men and the elephant: Six blind men were discussing exactly what they believed an elephant to be, since each had heard how strange the creature was, yet none had ever seen one before. So the blind men agreed to find an elephant and discover what the animal was really like. It didn't take the blind men long to find an elephant at a nearby market. The first blind man approached the beast and felt the animal's firm flat side. "It seems to me that the elephant is just like a wall," he said to his friends. The second blind man reached out and touched one of the elephant's tusks. "No, this is round and smooth and sharp - the elephant is like a spear." Intrigued, the third blind man stepped up to the elephant and touched its trunk. "Well, I can't agree with either of you; I feel a squirming writhing thing - surely the elephant is just like a snake." The fourth blind man was of course by now quite puzzled. So he reached out, and felt the elephant's leg. "You are all talking complete nonsense," he said, "because clearly the elephant is just like a tree." Utterly confused, the fifth blind man stepped forward and grabbed one of the elephant's ears. "You must all be mad - an elephant is exactly like a fan." Duly, the sixth man approached, and, holding the beast's tail, disagreed again. "It's nothing like any of your descriptions - the elephant is just like a rope." And all six blind men continued to argue, based on their own particular experiences, as to what they thought an elephant was like. It was an argument that they were never able to resolve. Each of them was concerned only with their own idea. None of them had the full picture, and none could see any of the other's point of view. Each man saw

the elephant as something quite different, and while in part each blind man was right, none was wholly correct. There is never just one way to look at something - there are always different perspectives, meanings, and perceptions, depending on who is looking.

See also the no exit story above for another analogy about different perspectives.

the owl and the field-mouse story (executive policy-making, theory versus practice)
A little field-mouse was lost in a dense wood, unable to find his way out. He came upon a wise old owl sitting in a tree. "Please help me, wise old owl, how can I get out of this wood?" said the field-mouse. "Easy," said the owl, "Grow wings and fly out, as I do." "But how can I grow wings?" asked the mouse. The owl looked at him haughtily, sniffed disdainfully, and said, "Don't bother me with the details, I only decide the policy." (Thanks P Boden)

aircraft engineering support (lessons in communications and support service)

An updated version of this item appears on the pilots and airtraffic control quotes page. According to the story, after every Qantas Airlines flight (other airlines, and military sources are suggested instead also) the pilots complete a a 'gripe sheet' report, which conveys to the ground crew engineers any mechanical problems on the aircraft during the flight. The engineer reads the form, corrects the problem, then writes details of action taken on the lower section of the form for the pilot to review before the next flight. It is clear from the examples below that ground crew engineers have a keen sense of humour - these are supposedly real extracts from gripe forms completed by pilots with the solution responses by the engineers. Incidentally, Qantas has the best safety record of all the world's major airlines. (1 = The problem logged by the pilot.) (2 = The solution and action taken by the mechanics.)

1. Left inside main tire almost needs replacement. 2. Almost replaced left inside main tire. 1. Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough. 2. Auto-land not installed on this aircraft. 1. Something loose in cockpit. 2. Something tightened in cockpit. 1. Dead bugs on windshield. 2. Live bugs on back-order. 1. Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent. 2. Cannot reproduce problem on ground. 1. Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. 2. Evidence removed. 1. DME volume unbelievably loud. 2. DME volume set to more believable level. 1. Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. 2. That's what they're there for. 1. IFF inoperative. 2. IFF always inoperative in OFF mode. 1. Suspected crack in windshield. 2. Suspect you're right. 1. Number 3 engine missing. 2. Engine found on right wing after brief search. 1. Aircraft handles funny. 2. Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious. 1. Target radar hums. 2. Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics. 1. Mouse in cockpit. 2. Cat installed.

1. Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer. 2. Took hammer away from midget. If you like stories and examples like these see also the tree swing pictures, which also provide an amusing and useful comment on departmental relationships, customer service and organizational communications. (Ack. CB)

the rat and the lion story (do good, what goes around comes around, karma)
One day a small rat surfaced from his nest to find himself between the paws of a huge sleeping lion, which immediately awoke and seized the rat. The rat pleaded with the fierce beast to be set free, and the lion, being very noble and wise, and in no need of such small prey, agreed to let the relieved rat go on his way. Some days later in the same part of the forest, a hunter had laid a trap for the lion, and it duly caught him, so that the lion was trussed up in a strong net, helpless, with nothing to do than wait for the hunter to return. But it was the rat who came along next, and seeing the lion in need of help, promptly set about biting and gnawing through the net, which soon began to unravel, setting the great lion free. The moral of the story is of course to make the world your debtor - even the humblest of folk may one day be of use.

the two mules story (show off expensive things at your peril, the more you have the more you have to lose)
Two mules travelled regularly together with their loads, from their town to the city. The first mule, a humble beast, wore a tatty cloak, and carried sacks of oats for the miller. The second mule was an arrogant animal, who wore a fine coat with jingling bells. He carried gold and silver coins for the tax collector, and loved to brag about his responsibility and importance. Running late one day, the second mule suggested taking a short-cut, off the main road, despite his companion's warnings about the risks of

taking such a dangerous route. Sure enough, before too long, thieves attacked the second mule, stealing his valuable load, and leaving him injured by the roadside. "But why me?" moaned the stricken animal, "I am attacked and robbed while the vagabonds leave you untouched?" "I think even in this desperate place no thief would be interested in a poor miller's slave, or my humble load!" said the first mule, "But you ventured down this dangerous track and made a show of yourself - you have only yourself to blame."

the travellers and the monk story (positive attitude, life outlook)
One day a traveller was walking along a road on his journey from one village to another. As he walked he noticed a monk tending the ground in the fields beside the road. The monk said "Good day" to the traveller, and the traveller nodded to the monk. The traveller then turned to the monk and said "Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you a question?". "Not at all," replied the monk. "I am travelling from the village in the mountains to the village in the valley and I was wondering if you knew what it is like in the village in the valley?" "Tell me," said the monk, "What was your experience of the village in the mountains?" "Dreadful," replied the traveller, "to be honest I am glad to be away from there. I found the people most unwelcoming. When I first arrived I was greeted coldly. I was never made to feel part of the village no matter how hard I tried. The villagers keep very much to themselves, they don't take kindly to strangers. So tell me, what can I expect in the village in the valley?" "I am sorry to tell you," said the monk, "but I think your experience will be much the same there". The traveller hung his head despondently and walked on. A while later another traveller was journeying down the same road and he also came upon the monk. "I'm going to the village in the valley," said the second traveller, "Do you know what it is like?" "I do," replied the monk "But first tell me - where have you come from?" "I've come from the village in the mountains."

"And how was that?" "It was a wonderful experience. I would have stayed if I could but I am committed to travelling on. I felt as though I was a member of the family in the village. The elders gave me much advice, the children laughed and joked with me and people were generally kind and generous. I am sad to have left there. It will always hold special memories for me. And what of the village in the valley?" he asked again. "I think you will find it much the same" replied the monk, "Good day to you". "Good day and thank you," the traveller replied, smiled, and journeyed on. (Thanks Carrie Birmingham)

the human resources story (new starter induction, ironic reference to human resources management, keeping promises, employment standards)
A highly successful Human Resources Manager was tragically knocked down by a bus and killed. Her soul arrived at the Pearly Gates, where St. Peter welcomed her: "Before you get settled in," he said, "We have a little problem... you see, we've never had a Human Resources Manager make it this far before and we're not really sure what to do with you." "Oh, I see," said the woman. "Can't you just let me in?" "Well, I'd like to," said St Peter, "But I have higher orders. We're instructed to let you have a day in hell and a day in heaven, and then you are to choose where you'd like to go for all eternity." "Actually, I think I'd prefer heaven", said the woman. "Sorry, we have rules..." at which St. Peter put the HR Manager into the downward bound elevator. As the doors opened in hell she stepped out onto a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club; around her were many friends - past fellow executives, all smartly dressed, happy, and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played a perfect round of golf and afterwards went to the country club where she enjoyed a superb steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil, who was actually rather nice, and she had a wonderful night telling jokes and dancing. Before she knew it, it was time to leave; everyone shook her hand and waved goodbye as she stepped into the elevator. The elevator went back up to heaven where St. Peter was waiting for her.

"Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing, which was almost as enjoyable as her day in hell. At the day's end St Peter returned. "So," he said, "You've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. You must choose between the two." The woman thought for a second and replied, "Well, heaven is certainly lovely, but I actually had a better time in hell. I choose hell." Accordingly, St. Peter took her to the elevator again and she went back down to hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends dressed in rags, picking up rubbish and putting it in old sacks. The Devil approached and put his arm around her. "I don't understand," stuttered the HR Manager, "Yesterday I was here, and there was a golf course, and a country club, and we ate lobster, and we danced and had a wonderful happy time. Now all there's just a dirty wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable." The Devil looked at her and smiled. "Yesterday we were recruiting you, today you're staff." (Thanks CB and CC)

the shoe box story (delusion, men and women, marriage, relationships, secrets, weddings and best-man speeches)
There was once a man and woman who had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about. For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted doilies and a stack of money totaling $25,000. He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said, "My grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doily." The little old man was so moved, he had to fight back tears. Only two precious doilies were in the box. She had

only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness. "Honey," he said, "that explains the doilies, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?" "Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling the doilies." (Thanks C Byrd)

the businessman and the fisherman story (ambition, wealth creation, change for change's sake, purpose of life, work and fulfilment - also featured on a 'Kit-Kat' snack-bar TV advert)
A management consultant, on holiday in a African fishing village, watched a little fishing boat dock at the quayside. Noting the quality of the fish, the consultant asked the fisherman how long it had taken to catch them. "Not very long." answered the fisherman. "Then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the consultant. The fisherman explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family. The consultant asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, have an afternoon's rest under a coconut tree. In the evenings, I go into the community hall to see my friends, have a few beers, play the drums, and sing a few songs..... I have a full and happy life." replied the fisherman. The consultant ventured, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you...... You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have a large fleet. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to a city here or maybe even in the United Kingdom, from where you can direct your huge enterprise." "How long would that take?" asked the fisherman. "Oh, ten, maybe twenty years." replied the consultant. "And after that?" asked the fisherman.

"After that? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the consultant, laughing, "When your business gets really big, you can start selling shares in your company and make millions!" "Millions? Really? And after that?" pressed the fisherman. "After that you'll be able to retire, move out to a small village by the sea, sleep in late every day, spend time with your family, go fishing, take afternoon naps under a coconut tree, and spend relaxing evenings havings drinks with friends..." (Ack Jean Kent)

the microsoft story (computers, WYSInotWYG, ironic reference to computer software problems)
A different slant on the human resources tale above... In 2050 A.D. Bill Gates dies in a car accident. He finds himself in the Purgatory waiting room, when God enters... "Well, Bill," says God, "I'm confused. I'm not sure whether to send you to Heaven or Hell: you helped society enormously by putting a computer in almost every home in the world, and yet you've also created some of the most unearthly frustrations known to mankind. I'm going to do something I've never done before: I'm going to let you choose where you want to go." Bill replies, "Well, thanks, God. What's the difference between the two?" God says, "I'm willing to let you visit both places briefly to help you make your decision." "Okay, where should I go first?" asks Bill. God says, "That's up to you." Bill says, "OK, let's try Hell first." So Bill goes to Hell. It's a beautiful, clean, sandy beach with clear waters. There are thousands of beautiful women running around, playing in the water, laughing and frolicking about. The sun is shining, the temperature is just right. The whole thing looks perfect, and Bill is very pleased. "This is great!" he tells God, "If this is Hell, I REALLY want to see Heaven!" "Fine," says God, and off they go.

Heaven is a high place in the clouds, with angels drifting about playing harps and singing. It very nice but not as enticing as Hell. Bill thinks for a moment and announces his decision. "Hmm, I think I prefer Hell." he tells God. "Fine," says God, "As you desire." So Bill Gates is taken to Hell. Two weeks later, God decides to check up on Bill to see how he's doing in Hell. When God arrives in Hell, he finds Bill shackled to a wall, screaming amongst the hot flames in a dark cave. He's being burned and tortured by demons. "How's everything going, Bill?" God asks. Bill replies, his voice full of anguish and disappointment, "This is awful, it's not what I expected at all, I can't believe it. What happened to that other place with the beaches and the beautiful women playing in the water?" God smiles and says, "That was the screen saver." (Ack CB and JM)

the "it will for that one" story (making a difference, compassion, social responsibility)
A small boy was walking along a beach at low tide, where countless thousands of small sea creatures, having been washed up, were stranded and doomed to perish. A man watched as the boy picked up individual creatures and took them back into the water. "I can see you're being very kind," said the watching man, "But there must be a million of them; it can't possibly make any difference." Returning from the water's edge, the boy said, "It will for that one."

the negotiation story (negotiating, men and women, funny responses)

A sales-woman is driving home in the rain when she sees a little old lady walking by the roadside, heavily laden with shopping. Being a kindly soul, the sales-woman stops the car and invites the old lady to climb in. During their small talk, the old lady glances surreptitiously at a brown paper bag on the front seat between them. "If you are

wondering what's in the bag," offers the sales-woman, "It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband." The little old lady is silent for a while, nods several times, and says ........ "Good trade."

the mcclelland motivation story (david mcclelland's achievement motivation experiment, motivation references and examples)
A pioneering thinker in the field of workplace motivation, David McClelland developed his theories chiefly while at Harvard in the 1950-60's with experiments such as this one. Volunteers were asked to throw rings over pegs rather like the fairground game; no distance was stipulated, and most people seemed to throw from arbitrary, random distances, sometimes close, sometimes farther away. However a small group of volunteers, whom McClelland suggested were strongly achievement-motivated, took some care to measure and test distances that would produce an ideal challenge - not too easy, and not impossible. Interestingly a parallel exists in biology, known as the 'overload principle', which is commony applied to fitness and exercising, ie., in order to develop fitness and/or strength the exercise must be sufficiently demanding to increase existing levels, but not so demanding as to cause damage or strain. McClelland identified the same need for a 'balanced challenge' in the approach of achievement-motivated people. People with a strong achievement-motivation need set themselves challenging and realistic goals - they need the challenge, but they also need to be sure they'll accomplish the aim. More information about David McClelland's motivational theories.

the butterfly story (coaching, teaching, enabling, facilitating, interventions)

A man found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared stuck. The man decided to help the butterfly and with a pair of scissors he cut open the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. Something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shrivelled wings. The man watched the butterfly expecting it to take on its correct proportions. But nothing changed.

The butterfly stayed the same. It was never able to fly. In his kindness and haste the man did not realise that the butterfly's struggle to get through the small opening of the cocoon is nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight. Like the sapling which grows strong from being buffeted by the wind, in life we all need to struggle sometimes to make us strong. When we coach and teach others it is helpful to recognize when people need to do things for themselves. (Ack Paul Matthews)

the swimming pool story (reviews and asessments, assessing people, things are not always what they seem)
Fred and Mabel were both patients in a mental hospital. One day as they both walked beside the swimming pool, Mabel jumped into the deep end and sank to the bottom. Without a thought for his own safety, Fred jumped in after her, brought her to the surface, hauled her out, gave her the kiss of life and saved her. The next day happened to be Fred's annual review. He was brought before the hospital board, where the director told him, "Fred, I have some good news and some bad news: the good news is that in light of your heroic act yesterday we consider that you are sane and can be released from this home back into society. The bad news is, I'm afraid, that Mabel, the patient you saved, shortly afterwards hung herself in the bathroom with the belt from her bathrobe. I'm sorry but she's dead." "She didn't hang herself," Fred replied, "I put her there to dry."

the butcher story (business ethics, chickens come home to roost, sins discovered, getting caught out, lying to customers)
A butcher, who had had a particularly good day, proudly flipped his last chicken on a scale and weighed it. "That will be 6.35," he told the customer. "That's a good price, but it really is a little too small," said the woman. "Don't you have anything larger?"

Hesitating, but thinking fast, the clerk returned the chicken to the refrigerator, paused a moment, then took it out again. "This one," he said faintly, " will be 6.65." The woman paused for a moment, then made her decision... "I know what," she said, "I'll take both of them!" (Thanks Doug Boit)

the pavlov's dogs story (behaviour, conditioning, fears and neuroses, embedded attitudes and responses)
Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist who lived from 1849-1936. He founded the Institute of Experimental Medicine in 1890, where his primary interest was digestion. Pavlov's Dogs is the name given to Ivan Pavlov's seminal research in the early 20th century which established some essential principles of Classical Conditioning in the field of human psychology. Classical Conditioning concerns 'learned' or conditioned behaviour, (which also forms the basis of behaviour therapy). We all have behaviours that we might seek to change. The Pavlov's Dogs illustration helps us to understand more about why we respond sometimes irrationally to certain situations. Pavlov's Dogs provides a wonderful and true example for anyone seeking to explain or understand how our past experiences can prompt certain behaviours in the future, for example, phobias (irrational fears), neurosis (severe nervous or emotional responses to particular situations), and even mild feelings of concern or anxiety that virtually all of us are prone to in one way or another (eg., public speaking, fear of heights, flying, being reprimanded or tested, etc.) The initial Pavlov's Dogs experiment was simply to place a dog in a sound-proof, smellproof cubicle, with no outside view - a controlled environment in other words. A sound was made when food was given to the dog, and the amount of salivation the dog produced was measured. After repeating this several times (called 'trials'), the sound was made but no food was given. The dog still salivated. This simple experiment established that the dog did not necessarily need the food in order to respond to food. The dog was responding to a stimulus or 'trigger' that produced the same response as the real thing. Pavlov could make the dog salivate whenever the sound was made.

This is expressed technically: a 'Conditioned Stimulus' (the sound) can produce a 'Conditioned Response' (the salivation), which was the same 'Unconditioned Response' (salivation in response to food) for the original 'Unconditioned Stimulus' (the food). Pavlov also proved that slightly different sounds to the original Conditioned Stimulus produced a similar Conditioned Response, which he called 'Generalisation'. Pavlov also obtained the same results by showing the dog a shape (a circle for food), and then established a level of 'Discrimination' by showing an oval when there was no food. By continually repeating the Conditioned Stimulus, the Conditioned response was seen to weaken, and then eventually to cease, which he called 'Extinction'. Surprisingly though, after a day or two, when the Conditioned Stimulus (sound) was started again the dog again produced the Conditioned Response (salivation), which is called 'Spontaneous Recovery'. This showed that conditioned behaviours can become very deeply embedded and well established. Classical Conditioning is responsible for all behaviour that involves 'Reflexes' - heartrate, perspiration, muscle-tension, etc. Think about your own anxieties that produce these reactions. They are probably Conditioned Responses from something (a Conditioned Stimulus) that you experienced in the past. Note also that if the original response is very strong, the conditioning can result from a single event, technically referred to as 'One Trial Learning'. If you find this interesting see the Eric Erikson section, and look at Transational Analysis theory. Dr Arthur Janov's book The Primal Scream is also fascinating and relevant to this aspect of understanding personality and behaviour.

the beans up the nose story (accentuate the positive, visualization, auto-suggestion, negative suggestions and attitudes)
This lovely analogy illustrates how accentuating the negative can often produce the very result you are seeking to avoid. The metaphor is so strong that it gave rise to the expression 'Beans up the Nose', meaning to increase the likelihood of unwanted result by highlighting the potential for it to happen. Beans up the Nose is a great way to emphasise the need for managers to accentuate the positive - not the negative - when communicating instructions to their people. A mother was preparing a meal for her young son. She emptied a tin of beans into a saucepan and put them on the stove to cook. Just then the phone rang - she was expecting a call and wanted to take it. Mindful that she'd be leaving her little boy unsupervised for a minute or two, and wanting to prevent him doing anything daft

while she was out of the room, she firmly told him, "Stay here while I answer the phone. I'll be back soon; don't misbehave, and whatever you do, don't go putting those beans up your nose..."

the hawthorne effect story (elton mayo's motivation experiments, motivation)

The Hawthorne Effect: the proposition that workers are more motivated more by emotional than economic factors (i.e., by being involved and feeling important, rather than by an improvement in workplace conditions). So called after workplace behavioural research by Elton Mayo at the Western Electric Company's Hawthorne plant in Cicero, Chicago, 1927-32, which ran on without Mayo until 1937. Mayo was a founding father of industrial psychology, attached to Harvard University as professor of industrial research from 1926, laying the foundations for later gurus, notably Herzberg (Motivation and Hygiene Factors), Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs), McGregor (XY Theory), Peters and Waterman ('In Search of Excellence' etc). At a peak, 20,000 Western Electric employees were subject to research by a team of Harvard scientists and up to 100 investigators. This massive ten year programme grew from the initial experiment in which improved lighting was installed to assess the effect on workers' motivation and productivity. Sure enough, productivity increased, but productivity also increased in the 'control group' of workers where conditions were unchanged, except that they were informed they were part of the study. This was perhaps the earliest significant demonstration that people are not actually motivated by improving their workplace conditions ('Taylorism' - after FW Taylor - had been the common view, in which money and conditions were thought to be the prime motivators). The Hawthorne Effect, and the experiments at the Hawthorne plant, proved that people are mainly motivated not by economic factors, but emotional factors, such as feeling involved and receiving attention.

the naval stand-off story (negotiation, do your research, know your facts)
This story is an 'alleged' transcript of an actual radio conversation between a US naval ship and Canadian maritime contact off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1995. The tale, in various versions and featuring different nationalities, has circulated widely in emails and in books for many years, and has been used by numerous speakers and writers to illustrate lessons relating to negotiation, making assumptions, and related themes. Unfortunately it is not true, but it is nevertheless a great story. If using this as

a teaching analogy, you will probably be forgiven for not revealing the truth of the matter until after telling the story. Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees North to avoid a collision. Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees South to avoid collision. Americans: This is the captain of a US navy ship; I say again divert your course. Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course. Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP. Canadians: We are a lighthouse; your call.

the room service story (understanding, communicating, interpretation, empathy, meaning)

This story was widely circulated by email around 2001-2, within which it was alleged to be the genuine transcript of a telephone conversation between a guest and roomservice in a hotel in Asia in the late 1990's, and it supposedly appeared in an item published in the Far East Economic Review. This is all false however: Room Service is in fact a chapter from US comedian Shelley Berman's book 'A Hotel Is A Funny Place'. In truth the incident portrayed never happened in any hotel, in Asia or otherwise. Shelley Berman wrote 'Room Service' as a piece of fictional humour. Shelley Berman has kindly allowed this extract to appear on this site, and this permission is gratefully acknowledged. As well as being one of the best loved and funniest comedians and writers of his generation, Shelly Berman is also a lecturer at the University of Southern California. More information at: Shelley Berman. The Room Service fictional exchange is a wonderful and amusing example of how and why the effective understanding relies not only on language and communication, but also on the abilities of the communicators to interpret meaning.

excerpt from "A Hotel is a Funny Place ..."

N.B. This material is a chapter from Shelley Berman's copyrighted book. It is reproduced here with permission. Reading hints: You are on the phone. The other party is also in the hotel: Morny, rune sore-bees. Oh sorry, I thought I dialed room service. Rye. Rune sore-bees. Morny. Jewish to odor sunteen? Yes, order something. This is room thirteen-on-five. I want Okay, torino-fie. Yes plea? I'd like some bacon and eggs. Ow July then? What? Aches. Ow July then? Pry, boy, pooch ? Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry. Scrambled, please. Ow July thee baycome? Crease? Crisp will be fine. Okay. An Santos? What? Santos. July Santos? Uh I don't know I don't think so. No? Judo one toes? Look. I really feel bad about this, but I just don't know what judo-one-toes means. I'm sorry Toes! Toes! Why Jew Don Juan toes? Ow bow eenlish mopping we bother? English muffin! I've got it! You were saying toast! Fine. An English muffin will be fine. We bother? No. Just put the bother on the side. Wad? I'm sorry. I meant butter. Butter on the side. Copy? I feel terrible about this but Copy.

Copy, tea, mill Coffee!! Yes, coffee please. And that's all. One Minnie. Ass rune torino-fie, strangle-aches, crease baycome, tossy eenlish mopping we bother honey sigh, and copy. Rye? Whatever you say. Okay. Tenjewberrymud. You're welcome.

Next time someone sends you the email you can inform them: the above dialogue never actually took place in any hotel anywhere in the world. The Room Service dialogue is an intentionally composed humorous fiction and is entirely the creation of Shelley Berman, written as a chapter in his book, A Hotel Is A Funny Place, publishers Price/Sloan/Stern. Copyright 1972 and 1985. Any claim to the contrary is utterly baseless and erroneous. Room Service is Shelley Berman. Used with Permission with grateful thanks to Shelley Berman. Not to be sold or published.

the project story (project management, six phases of a project)

Not exactly a story, but a widely referred to ironic model detailing the six phases of a project. Do you recognize this model? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Enthusiasm Disillusionment Panic Search for the guilty Punishment of the innocent Praise and honours for the non-participants

the mswindows car story (the power of PR, clever publicity, using humour for publicity, don't get mad get even)

You may have seen this before as it's been widely circulated over the internet. Whether it's true or not, it's a great example of the risks of arrogant PR, and then in response, fantastic PR that's utterly in tune with the mood of the moment. Despite all this though, a supremely powerful supplier can, while they remain supremely powerful, re-write the rules of customer service. At a computer expo (COMDEX) around 1997/98, Bill Gates of Microsoft was reported to have compared the computer and automotive industries, saying that "If General Motors had kept up with technology like the computer industry does, we would all be driving around in twenty-five dollar cars that go 1,000 miles to the gallon." In response to this alleged outburst, GM are supposed to have issued a press release along the following lines, stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics 1. For no reason at all your car would crash twice a day, and you would have not a single clue as to the cause. 2. Every time they re-painted the lines on the road you would have to buy a new car. 3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason, and you would just accept this, re-start and drive on. 4. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to re-start, in which case you would have to re-install the engine. 5. Only one person at a time could use the car, unless you bought 'Car95' or 'CarNT', but then you'd have to buy more seats. 6. (Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, reliable, five times as fast, and twice as easy to drive, but it would only run on five percent of the roads. The Macintosh car owners would have to buy expensive GM upgrades for their cars which would make them run much slower.) 7. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would be replaced by a 'general car default' warning light. 8. The car's new seats would force everyone to have the same size butt. 9. The airbag system would say 'Are you sure?' before activating.

10. Occasionally for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key, and grabbed hold of the radio antenna. 11. GM would require all car buyers to additionally purchase a deluxe set of Rand McNally road maps (which would be a GM subsidiary) even though the customer neither needed nor wanted them. Attempting to do without these extras would immediately cause the car's performance to diminish by fifty percent or more. Moreover, GM would become a target for investigation under the anti-trust laws by the Justice Department. 12. Every time GM introduced a new model, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as in the previous car. 13. And you'd need to press the 'Start' button to shut off the engine.

the balloon story (business, IT, humour, funny business story)

A man in a hot air balloon is lost. He sees a man on the ground and reduces height to speak to him. "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" "You're in a hot air balloon hovering thirty feet above this field," comes the reply. "You must work in Information Technology," says the balloonist. "I do," says the man, "How did you know?" "Well," says the balloonist, "Everything you told me is technically correct, but it's no use to anyone." "You must be in business," says the man. "I am," says the balloonist, "How did you know?"

"Well," says the man, "You don't know where you are, you don't know where you're going, but you expect me to be able to help. You're in the same position you were before we met, but now it's my fault." (You can of course substitute other professions as appropriate.)

the monkey story (company policy, organizational development, group behaviour, group beliefs, inertia and assumptions)
Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it. Now, turn off the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted. Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm. Again, replace a third original monkey with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four monkeys that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing the fourth and fifth original monkeys, all the monkeys that have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been around here. And that's how company policy begins ...

the creativity story (ten ways to murder creativity, leadership, growth and development, innovation and motivation)
Again not a story, instead a sardonic view of the way that organizations typically approach managing people and projects, which of course kills the creative incentive and capabilities of creative people. Do you recognize the model? 1. Always pretend to know more than everybody around you. 2. Get employees to fill in time sheets. 3. Run daily checks on progress of everyone's work. 4. Ensure that highly qualified people do mundane work for long periods. 5. Put barriers up between departments. 6. Don't speak personally to employees, except when announcing increased targets, shortened deadlines and tightened cost restraints. 7. Ask for a 200-page document to justify every new idea. 8. Call lots of meetings. 9. Place the biggest emphasis on the budget. 10. Buy lots of computers.

the scorpion and the frog story (reality, acceptance, delusion, responsibility, blame, expectations, personal responsibility, empathy)

Once upon a time a scorpion wanted to cross a brook. On the bank he saw a frog and asked if the frog would give him a ride to the other side. "Oh no," says the frog, "If I carry you on my back you will sting me." "But why would I sting you when we would both surely perish," replied the scorpion. The frog eventually conceded that the scorpion had a point, and agreed to the request. Half way across, the scorpion stang the frog, and they both began to drown. "But why did you break your word and sting me, knowing it would be certain death for us both?" cried the frog. "Because it is in my nature." said the scorpion.

the rocks in bucket time management story (time management, personal change, managing your activities and environment, project management)
Use this time management story to show how planning is the key to time management. Start with a bucket, some big rocks enough to fill it, some small stones, some sand and water. Put the big rocks in the bucket - is it full? Put the small stones in around the big rocks - is it full? Put the sand in and give it a shake - is it full? Put the water in. Now it's full. The point is: unless you put the big rocks in first, you won't get them in at all. In other words: Plan time-slots for your big issues before anything else, or the inevitable sand and water issues will fill up your days and you won't fit the big issues in (a big issue doesn't necessarily have to be a work task - it could be your child's sportsday, or a holiday).

rocks in the bucket story (alternative funny version)

A lecturer at a university is giving a pre-exam lecture on time management. On his desk is a bag of sand, a bag of pebbles, some big rocks and bucket. He asks for a volunteer to put all three grades of stone into the bucket, and a keen student duly steps up to carry out the task, starting with the sand, then the pebbles, then the rocks, which do not all fit in the bucket. "The is an analogy of poor time management," trills the lecturer, "If you'd have put the rocks in first, then the pebbles, then the sand, all three would have fit. This is much like time management, in that by completing your biggest tasks first, you leave room to complete your medium tasks, then your smaller ones. By completing your smallest tasks first you spend so much time on them you leave yourself unable to complete either medium of large tasks satisfactorily. Let me show you.." And the lecturer re-fills the bucket, big rocks first, then pebbles, then sand, shaking the bucket between each so that everything fits. "But Sir," says one student, slouched at the back of the theatre, "You've forgotten one thing.." At which the student approaches the bucket, produces a can of lager, opens it and pours into the bucket. "No matter how busy you are," quips the student with a smile, "There's always time for a quick beer."