Kunin on Killing Passivity
“One is responsible for one’s
own life. Compliance provides
no protection.”
–Madeleine Kunin (1933 – )
Swiss-American diplomat and politician
Sales concept…
If you place an creature in an inescapable environment and give it electric shocks with no predictability, it’ll eventually give up trying to escape. Later, take that same creature, place it into a similar environment (but one that’s escapable) and give it electric shocks — it won’t even try to escape.
Sometimes, it can happen with people. It’s called "learned helplessness."
Sales check: Any areas where you and your team have stopped trying (or try, but with small commitment) because prior repeated failures and/ or a perceived inability to succeed has trained you not to try? In prospecting and customer contact efforts? In motivating and improving team attitudes and cooperation? With customer care improvement initiatives?
If so, what can you start doing today to minimize any "learned helplessness" that may have set in?
Email this concept to your colleagues and learn a small more about the person behind it.