In a recent blog, Dan Pink talks about how we prepare ourselves for success. I had always thought that a positive approach with positive self-talk was the best way. However Bob the Builder introduces doubt when he asks the question of the team “Can we fix it?” The team always responds “Yes we can!”
Apparently researcher have found that starting a task by asking “Can I?” or Will I?” The probability of success increases significantly. Can you help you? Recent research by University of Illinois Professor Dolores Albarracin and Visiting Assistant Professor Ibrahim Senay, along with Kenji Noguchi, Assistant Professor at Southern Mississippi University, has shown that those who ask themselves whether they will perform a task generally do better than those who tell themselves that they will.
See Pinks article in the Sunday Telegraph for more details.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/7839988/Can-we-fix-it-is-the-right-question-to-ask.html
I also recommend Dan Pink’s blog which has some fascinating ideas. See
Pink looks at self-motivation and the management wisdom of Bob The Builder. An excerpt: In a nifty set of experiments, three social scientists explored the differences between what they call “declarative” self-talk (I will fix it! …
Publish Date: 06/25/2010 13:55
http://www.execupundit.com/2010/06/pink-can-we-fix-it.html
I invite your comments.