Insight #353:
The battle of the office is almost over. Except we still don’t know who has won, the work from home employees or the return to the office bosses. Either way, I’m sure you could use some advice about how easily to manage people, in the office or at home.
Do you want to improve the behavior of people at work? Do you want them to be nicer? And be more productive? What about you? Do you want to behave better, be more productive, and be a nicer person?
Do it with mirrors. Any old mirrors will do. They don’t even have to be magic mirrors, like in the following ancient but so modern fable that you know so well. (Except, in the modern version, the mirror has been replaced by something called a selfie.)
Once upon a time there is a person who often looks into a mirror and asks: “Magic mirror on the wall, am I fairest of us all?” Or words to that effect. Here’s the interesting bit. This person never asks, “Am I the ugliest of all?”
Why not? Because this person instinctively wants to be better-than. And the person who defines this better-than is called You. (In scientific terms, this person is called Ego, but that’s another magic story.)
Mirrors bring out the best in us, or at least the desire to be better. Research has confirmed this. When there is a mirror watching the people in a room, the people being watched behave better. They work harder, are more ethical, and are less stereotypical in their judgments. In fact, they are simply nicer people altogether.
Why is this? Apparently, the virtual person watching from the mirror makes people in the room more self-aware. This greater self-awareness makes them think before they act, which then results in better behavior.
So go ahead, do it with mirrors. Hang mirrors in your office and send mirrors to those employees who still insist on working from home. (Because, magically, the mirror works at home as well.)
But be clear what sort of behavior you want to encourage. I once saw a dilapidated adult entertainment bar on the side of a highway. It did not surprise me it had gone out of business. The wall facing the parking lot was one huge mirror. Big mistake. The potential patrons had ample time to become more self-aware and to evaluate their behavior as they watched themselves approach the naughty door.
Visible proof, indeed, that a mirror is a cheap way to a better you. And that’s no fairy tale.
Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.
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Quote of the Moment: “I wanted to do it with mirrors, but on reflection I thought better of it.” The Chief Nonsense Officer.
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