MASS MEDIOCRITY AND THE MOTIVATION PEOPLE PATTERN™

“Human nature is such that if we are relatively content, then we are not going to be motivated to do anything to change our comfort zone, whether it be now or later.” Marilyne Woodsmall

Why is this so? It is because when people have already gotten all the carrots and sticks they think they need to lead what they believe to be an acceptable lifestyle, then they no longer have that fire burning within to move any farther. Life is okay as is, nothing more nothing less, no bells and whistles; yet this is satisfactory to them so they don’t care to budge one bit. These are the very people who end up staying in jobs for years and are quite content to do so.

Most people are mired in mediocrity. All too sad yet true. These are the so-called masses. And these are precisely the people who don’t want to change even if they have the opportunity to do so as I’ll explain shortly.

This has major implications regarding motivation in the workplace. There are basically four reasons why people aren’t motivated:

1. People who are move toward in orientation and have nothing towards which to move.

2. People who are move away from and have nothing from which to move away.

3. People who are move toward and who have reached their set goals and have nothing else to get them out of their satisfaction zone.

4. People who are move away from and who have somehow managed to move away from all the things which they would like to avoid.

The last two types are the most challenging elements in any workforce because they don’t want to move in any direction. These people are a nightmare to any team, to any manager, to any organization, to anyone who wants to get ahead because they are indifferent to change. These people are the masses, the people who are content to live their lives in mediocrity.

Once again, the Motivation People Pattern is the basis of everything that we do in life, or don’t do for that matter. Imagine the possibilities if we could move people from relatively content to ecstatic and beyond! Tune in for more next time.

ARE ALL TYPES THE SAME?

PEOPLE PATTERNS™ VS MEYERS-BRIGGS – PART II

In the first part of this discussion, we discussed the two points: 1) the concept of typologies from a perspective of formal logic and 2) the different forms of typologies. As mentioned, Meyers-Briggs presents immutable boxes or preferences, whereas we know that types can be changed, given our work in behavioral change technologies. Second, we discussed how Meyers-Briggs and People Patterns™ are what we refer to as horizontal typologies.

Now we are going to present the third concept that relates to typologies, that of contextuality. It is critically important to realize that all behavior is context dependent. This is one of the fundamental principles of NLP. In fact, all behaviors change depending on the context in which they occur. What this means is that you may behave or act in a particular way, for example, in a work context, while at home, you behave totally differently because it is a different context. So in one context, you’ll behave one way, and when you shift contexts, your behavior shifts as well. With People Patterns™, we constantly emphasize that they are context dependent. Myers-Briggs does not take this into account.

The notion of context and contextuality in our typologies (in this case, People Patterns™) is critically important. It is a concept that is a vital component to all behaviors, and thus, to typologies. Context, for our People Patterns™ takes into account several elements:

1. Where you are (for example in work, at home, at school, driving, etc.)

2. What are the circumstances in which you are behaving a certain way

3. When are you behaving a particular way

Now let us consider the fourth concept regarding typologies, that of deep structure and refinement. What we call People Patterns™ that make up one’s Personality Language™ goes beyond what the four Meyers-Briggs categories cover in their scope. People Patterns™ take the types to a deeper and more nuanced understanding of what is involved:

Sensor/Intuitor: our Tangible/Intangible People Pattern™ is more refined.

Introvert/Extrovert: our Internal/External People Pattern™ is more refined.

Judger/Perceiver: our Structurist/Free Spirit (through time/in time dichotomy) People Pattern™ is more refined.

Thinker/Feeler: Our Decision People Pattern™ (looks right, sounds right, feels right and makes sense) is more refined. Also, the Chunk Size People Pattern™ clarifies this Meyers-Briggs preference.

Now, our People Pattern™ Profile is different from others that are out there in that we are not looking for content based responses. Our work is based on decoding what I refer to as the deep structure (as in linguistics), and here, the deep structure of the psyche. In this case, it is the deep structure of your thinking and of your behavior, rather than the specific content.

At another time, we will discuss the deep structure differences between the two typologies a bit more.

ARE ALL TYPES THE SAME?
PEOPLE PATTERNS™ VS MEYERS BRIGGS – PART I

Crazy Quilting by Anita Carpenter

From time to time students and clients will ask us about the other typologies in relation to our People Patterns™, in particular Myers-Briggs. Many of you have probably heard about the Myers-Briggs Inventory at some point. It is a tool that has been used for understanding what are considered to be behavioral preferences and yet, it can be quite limiting in its scope. Meyers-Briggs presents four categories of these so called preferences:

1)Introvert – Extrovert
2)Sensor – Intuitor
3)Thinker – Feeler
4)Judger – Perceiver

However, before I briefly go over these types, it will be helpful to explain three things: 1) the concept of typologies 2) the different forms of typologies 3) the concept of contextuality and 4) the concept of refinement and deep structure, the latter two which we’ll consider in our next article.

First, let me mention the concept of typologies. There are three fundamental methods or approaches when discussing typologies. The first approach is the one we will mention in this article. It is based on a method of formal logic. It is the one upon which Meyers-Briggs, with its four categories, is based. As with all typologies based on formal logic, Meyers-Briggs says that types are immutable. There is nothing that you can do to change the types. You have to accept the category you are in so that you are literally boxed in for life. You have to accept the box and you are stuck in the box forever.

The problem with this is that such absolutes go against reality. According to Meyers-Briggs, each one of these four types is a preference for which there is nothing you can do. You have to accept where you are even though you can prove you can change it. So the bottom line is that with the Myers-Briggs types you are trapped in an argument of formal logic. You are in the box once and for all and you can never escape out of the box. Thus, you are frozen in either an introvert or extrovert box. You are forever labeled a sensor or an intuitor. You are an indisputable thinker or feeler and you are in the immutable zone of judger or perceiver.

This results in one of 16 types and this is simply what you are forever labeled on your chest with a behavioral Scarlet Letter, or in this case, Letters: an INTJ, an INTP; an INFJ; an INFP; an ISTJ; an ISTP; an ISFJ; an ISFP; an ENTJ; an ENTP; an ENFJ; an ENFP; an ESTJ; an ESTP; an ESFJ; an ESFP. You are forever labeled as one of these and many people proudly wear these labels through life.
Many personality typologies reflect this approach of the immutable type. In our work in Neuro-Linguistics, however, we know that it is possible to change the types. More on this at a later time.
Second, there are several different forms of typologies. There is what is known as a developmental typology (which we have also been teaching for years and have written about) and a horizontal typology. Both Myers-Briggs and People Patterns™ are horizontal typologies in that they put people into boxes. In this way, they are similar.

It is with the third concept, that of contextuality, and with the fourth concept, that of refinement and deep structure, where these two typologies, People Patterns™ and Meyers-Briggs, differ.  We will consider these points next time.

DO TESTIMONIALS REALLY WORK? PART II:

By Marilyne Woodsmall

WHEN TO USE THEM AND WHEN NOT…

In our prior discussion, I talked about the Evaluation People Pattern™. This critical Evaluation People Pattern™ determines how an individual makes a judgment. In the context of sales, this pattern reveals how an individual makes a judgment to buy a product or service.

If you remember, there are two types of people when it comes to the Evaluation People Pattern™: Internal People and External People. Individuals who have what we call an Internal Referential Filter don’t want to hear about what other people are saying about a product or a service that they are thinking about purchasing. On the other side of the coin, there are those who have an External Referential Filter. They need to know what other people think before they purchase something. Remember, too, that there are some Internal People who will rely on what another person is saying if that person happens to be a proven expert on the product or service and has accurate information.

It makes a huge difference whether you are selling to someone with an internal pattern or an external pattern. Most Internal People think that the public at large is totally lacking in awareness and taste when it comes to making evaluations or judgments. In fact, our term, the Science of Idiots™ is quite apropos here, since Internal People view External People to be idiots for the most part. The former ask in referring to the latter: How is it possible to be such an idiot as to need another person’s opinion before buying something?

On the other hand, External People can’t imagine how a person can buy anything in life without getting feedback from others. They think that Internal People are idiots for not wanting the opinion of other people.

So what can you do to tailor your sales communication, whether one-on-one or on your site to reach these types of people? First, let us consider External People. If you are dealing with External People there are two viable strategies. One, you can position yourself as their external point of reference. The second strategy is to have people they respect or admire talk about your product.

The first strategy means that you have to be knowledgeable about your product or service as well as be trustworthy. Even sleazy car salesmen types don’t fare well here. Customers are much savvier than you may think and they certainly don’t want or need the traditional hype that has worked in the past in certain niches. The best rule of all is to always come from a place of integrity. In our work professionally modeling top salespeople over the years, my husband and I have always found that the best of the best have integrity and also create trust among their customers. I’ll delve more into this topic in a future article.

The second strategy involves telling your customers what people they respect have to say about what you are selling or providing. This means finding out who those people are for your particular customers.

In brief, with External People:

1. Provide as much information or referral material that you can.

2. Give as many testimonials as possible (more is better than less here)

3. Stress what others think about your product.

4. Have them see and or hear others’ reactions to your product or service.

5. Know that they are easily influenced by others.

Now, with Internal People, the strategy is totally different. With them you want to go out of your way to avoid telling them what other people are saying about your product or service. In fact, an Internal People will think less of you if try to sell your product based on testimonials or based on others’ opinions. They simply will view you as another idiot who has no clue about things.

In brief, with Internal People:

1. Suggest that they have their own internal check regarding the buying decision.

2. Stress that it is up to them and not up to you, as to whether to buy or not.

3. Avoid giving testimonials.

4. Tell them that you know that they are ultimately making the buying decision.

5. Know that telling them what others think is useless and may cost you the sale.

Also, remember that if you are an expert and or have someone else’s expertise to present regarding your product, it may be helpful to the Internal Person and only if the information is from an expert and is relevant.

In summary, it is critical in sales to know what criteria your customers are using when buying anything. This is why it is so important to appeal to both the Internal and External People in your presentation. In this way, you cover all possibilities; and you increase your sales as well as avoid missing half your customers and thus, avoid losing sales.

DO TESTIMONIALS REALLY WORK?

Long before the internet came along, people have been giving testimonials for products. TV sales have always played a huge part in the conspicuous consumer society in which we live and still do so today. With the onset of the internet, we have been overwhelmed with the typical and quite annoying bottomless sales letter that is riddled with endorsements and testimonials to convince prospective buyers to purchase a product or service.

And with TV shopping channels like QVC and the Home Shopping Network, testimonials play an increasingly important role in selling. Or do they? The question is do they really work with everyone? The answer is NO, NO, NO!!!

In fact, only about half of the population cares about what others think about a product before they buy it. The other half simply couldn’t care less what other people say about what they are buying. Which type are you? And more important, which type are your customers? Just because you may like to hear what other people are saying about products before purchasing them doesn’t mean that all of your customers think the same way. Or you may not care about testimonials and yet some of your customers won’t buy your products without them.

Are you a person who thrives on hearing what others have to say about a particular product? Or are you a person who can’t stand listening to or to reading about what people are saying about a product or service that you are contemplating buying? And there is another possibility as well. Are you someone who occasionally likes to read or to hear testimonials from certain individuals? How you answer these questions is quite revelatory.

In fact, it will determine still another People Pattern™ that comprises what we call Personality Language™. It is called the Evaluation People Pattern™. This all important Evaluation People Pattern™ determines how an individual makes a judgment, and in the context of this discussion, how an individual makes a judgment to buy a product or service. The emphasis is on how and not why.

Basically there are two major elements that make up the Evaluation People Pattern™. There are some individuals who make decisions to buy based on internal criteria and then there are some individuals who make decisions to buy based on external criteria. Those who make buying decisions based on internal criteria have what we refer to as an Internal Referential Filter or People Pattern™. They simply know inside that what they are doing or what they are buying, in this case, is the right thing for them. Those who make buying decisions based on external criteria have what we refer to as an External Referential Filter or People Pattern™. They need to hear what others think and tend not to buy anything without this feedback.

There are also some Internal People who, under certain circumstances, don’t mind having an expert give advice or information about a product, and only if it is information from an expert and not just anyone offering their opinion.

The bottom line is that Internal People don’t need feedback from others when it comes to buying products or services (unless, as mentioned, they want expert information under some circumstances); and External People need feedback before they purchase something. External People are often incapable of buying something without hearing first what other people think about it.

What this means for you in sales is that you have to tailor your communication on your sales page and/or in your presentation to both include testimonials for External People as well as include phrases that target the Internal People among your customers. Tune in next time to learn how to communicate with both types of customers in your audience, those with an Internal Referential Filter and those with an External Referential Filter.

By Marilyne Woodsmall

THE LOOKS RIGHT BUYER

As we mentioned in our introductory overview of the Decision People Pattern™, there are four reasons why people make the decisions that they do. It is because something either:

1. Looks right

2. Sounds right

3. Feels right or

4. Makes Sense

When we discuss someone having one of the above four elements of the “Decision People Pattern™, what this means is that a person is using a particular formula which we call a mental “strategy” to make a given decision.

Today we are going to discuss the first component of the Decision People Pattern™, the looks right pattern. First, what does it mean to have a “looks right” decision making pattern? A looks right person literally makes decisions based on a visual representation in his or her mind that literally looks right to him or to her. In reality, what the person is doing is creating an ideal image and a series of each of the alternatives. What actually happens is that the looks right person is comparing each of the alternatives, outside of his or her conscious awareness, to the ideal in his or her mind. The right match between the ideal and one of the alternatives triggers the decision. If there is no match, the looks right person generates more alternatives and if there is still no match, then the person ends up looking for more data to make a decision or else settles for less.

We have greatly simplified the process here, for we normally teach these patterns in the context of an entire workshop. So this is simply a brief overview of the looks right buyer.

How would you tailor your approach to the looks right buyer? There are several things that you can do. First it will be to your advantage to present a proper physical appearance for the presentation, whether it be in person or on a video. Tidiness, good hygiene and neatness are all factors that appeal to a looks right buyer or customer. Think about how many times you’ve heard about someone not buying a product because the buyer did not like the way the seller looked. The basic overall impression that you give from the start is critical. Even if visual factors don’t mean anything to you, they are vital to making a sale with a looks right person.

In terms of the actual sale, make sure that you have visual material on hand. If it is an in-person presentation, have slides, photos and sufficient graphic material to support your sale. By not having the visual support, you are literally not meeting the looks right buyer in his world. Also, colors impact looks right people much more than black and white. Looks right people need to see the product you are selling or to see the result of your service. If it is a service you are providing, then you want to be able to show the potential customer the work done and the result. In today’s world, video clips afford a convenient and economical way to provide these visual stimuli to the looks right person.

If you are selling a product or service that lends itself to an actual demonstration, then by all means, do so. Show them how to use it and in your explanation, be certain to use visual language. Another effective strategy is to have other people in your video or in a one on one presentation to demonstrate how to use your product. Telling stories about the effectiveness of your product (always be truthful) is a huge part of selling to looks right buyers. This is because telling stories makes them create imagery in their minds.

So the bottom line is that to increase your sales, you have to be able to tailor your communication to the mindset of the looks right buyer by applying what you have learned about the looks right pattern of the Decision People Pattern™. You will be amazed at just how much you have grown in your own awareness of self and others.

Next time we will discuss the second component of the Decision People Pattern™.

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS, OR IS IT?

By Marilyne Woodsmall

One of the biggest challenges for a salesperson is to know how much detail to give about a product or service. We have found that most salespeople have a tendency to keep talking until they get or lose the sale. Such an approach means that these salespeople are losing out on half of their potential customers. What they fail to realize is that some buyers want a lot of information and some require very little information.

The amount of information that a person wants or needs in a communication exchange is determined by what we refer to as the Global/Specific or Chunk Size Information People Pattern™. This powerful pattern reveals the quantity of information presented or how much information a person desires in a given communication.

The Chunk Size Information People Pattern™ (which is another element of one’s Personality Language™) is comprised of two types of people, and in the case of sales, of two distinctive types of buyers. Those who want a lot of information are called specific buyers and those who do not require a lot of information are called global buyers. Let us take a look at each.

Specific prospects want to know everything that there is to know about a product. They require a lot of information and a lot of detail in the information in order to make a buying decision. In fact, they will keep asking the salesperson for more and more detail. If the salesperson is not able to provide this, then the specific prospect will think that he or she is either not knowledgeable about the product that he or she is selling or that the salesperson has something to hide. Either way, it means bad news for the salesperson.

Global prospects, on the other hand, need very little information in order to make a buying decision. Too much information will turn them off, confuse them or make them suspicious. They will usually not ask detailed questions. If the salesperson keeps providing information they will not listen and will be completely turned off.

How does a salesperson know whether they are dealing with a global or specific buyer? Listen carefully to the way that the prospect describes his or her needs. Does the prospect provide a lot of specific details or does the prospect just give you vague, general information? Also, determine if the prospect asks a lot of questions or if he or she doesn’t ask questions at all.

The general rule of thumb is this. Provide the prospect with as much information as he or she needs to make a buying decision and no more. Often salespeople keep providing information in order to delay closing. This is a mistake. Close early and close often. If you close and the prospect needs more information, then they will ask for it. Once the prospect is sold, then shut up and close. Once you close, wait for a yes or a no. Adding more information at this point merely takes the prospect off the hook.

So the bottom line is to apply the Global/Specific Information People Pattern™ in all of your sales presentations to make a solid impact on the buyer or buyers with whom you are communicating. If you apply this pattern in sales, you will enhance your sales and you will connect with your customers more readily. If you don’t do this, you’ll be missing out on half of your customers and prospects and you will end up losing sales.

The Great Computer Wars Part 2 – Options And Procedures

Here is the second part of of our story.

The Activity People Pattern from Personality Language ™.

The Great Computer Wars Part 1 – Options And Procedures

Learn what is going on behind the seen that can impact your bottom line.

The Activity People Pattern from Personality Language ™.