Change = Productivity... It's Human Nature

In a recent podcast I heard an interesting application of the Hawthorne effect mentioned. "The Hawthorne effect refers to a phenomenon which is thought to occur when people observed during a research study temporarily change their behavior or performance (this can also be referred to as demand characteristics). Others have broadened the definition to mean that people’s behavior and performance change following any new or increased attention. The Hawthorne studies have had a dramatic effect on management in organizations and how people react to different situations." wikipeida.org

I have experienced this effect weekly in my martial arts classes. I teach a children’s class twice per week in the evening and I have always known if you focus on each child, call them out by name and give them praise for a good kick, solid lesson execution or form exercise they will focus more intently in class and remain more engaged in their learning.

The podcaster mentioned the Hawthorne effect as it relates to online marketing. When an online marketer changes something an offer (price discount), contest, questionnaire, survey, free seminar anything offered creates new activity and increased productivity from even the slowest producing list of prospects.

His overall opinion was no matter what you do or say you will see an increase in your bottom line guaranteed. And the opposite is also true. Do nothing and nothing will happen.

What this tells me is if you remain silent you are ensured of low or no activity. If you instead to decide to "get loud" your activity will increase simply due to the fact you are making an offer or creating interest or desire in your potential consumers that wasn’t their before, you changed something.

It's human nature. If you read the material on the Hawthorne effect you will note in the original Hawthorne experiments simple things like lighting could be changed and no matter what change had occurred it always resulted in increased productivity by the workers involved in the test.

So if your boss walks in with a dozen donuts on Friday you may ask yourself is this his generous side giving us all kudos for a job well done or is he simply testing the Hawthorne effect on us? That’s for you to decide.

To Your Success,

Kenneth Knapp
Founder, CEO
socialFIEND