Sway - The Irrestitible Pull of Irrational Behaviour

We are human beings and sometimes we want to be rational but we behave irrational, and in somecases even it works.
There are a lot of factors influencing our atittude toward the surrounding (costumers, relatives, friends, the company we work ecc).
The main ones i think are; culture, traditions, personal character, current emotional situation and the point of view each person has regarding everything. There is where the persons are differentiated and distinguish from each other.

Sometimes we feel that we have to make a change even if it is irrational, hard or difficult to percieve.

Shpendi

Sway – The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior

Good evening,

When I started to read the book SWAY I was surprised by the authors point of view and what I learnt is that SWAY is about decision-making and the biases that each of us bring to the decision-making process. Basically, SWAY represents compelling evidence that the rational decision-making model is damaged because of us, human beings, which by nature are subject to biases and hence not rational.


The decision-making biases are referred to as “sway” factors in the way that they sway or move our thinking away from rationality and these factors permeate virtually all our decisions. The authors argue that in order to preserve our self-image, we are reluctant to assume risks that might lead to the loss of investments involving money, effort, or emotions.


Another sway factor is related to our tendency to see and evaluate the value of something or someone in terms of the cost of purchase or social imagery associated with the product, person, or service. As an example, when customers pay more for something, they tend to report greater levels of satisfaction with a given item when purchased at a relatively high price then they do with an identical item when purchased at a lower price.

To sum up, I would like to mention that the book is very helpful even for our everyday life that we have to see and evaluate the value of something by its real value and not by cost.

Anri

Sway

When the topic comes to rational and irrational decisions such mysteries of human behavior as buying things which you do not need at the supermarket or doing very difficult and important work last night come to mind. Why do we do it? The clear answer to this question is still in the air. Psychologists and social researchers are trying to come to certain conclusion but all their findings are still more or less subjective. I think the core of this problem is not only in reluctance to lose, ambitions, commitment or affection ( in the example with the students in love or employers at first interview ) as mentioned in the book but sometimes in not having any choice. I want to share one situation from my life with you. When I was ten years old my most beloved granny passed away. The only thing  left from her was a wooden house in the village. That house meant more than everything for me. For many years long I could not forgive my parents for selling it. Even now when I remember it I can’t stop crying. Do you know why they sold it (just for 4000 rubles the following year the buyers sold it for 15000)? Because my parents as many ordinary Russians at that time didn’t get their salaries for some months and my sister and I didn’t have winter shoes. Does it seem rational to you?...  To my parents either, but they had no choice. We were school children and winters are very long.

It can seem irrational to many when doctors or teachers go to the most difficult sometimes even dangerous places on earth to help people who need their help. They leave their comfortable houses, their well-paid jobs, sometimes their families. The feeling that moves them is not rationality or fame.

People have always made irrational things one way or another but when you know that human lives depend on your decision it shouldn’t be matter of choice.

Book8: Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization

In this book, Organisational and developmental psychologists Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey present 30 years of research (in organisations of every shape and size in the US and elsewhere)
Change can take many forms–cyclical and predictable, sudden and unpredictable, voluntary and involuntary, and so on. However, the evidence is that change is NEVER easy or automatic. In fact, it has been discovered that humans are highly resistant to change, even to change that is desired rather than required.
There is a psychology to this resistance. Three stages of increasing mental complexity have been identified in adults, and our capacity for change is determined by our mental capacity. But it IS possible to overcome resistance and to increase our mental capacity (ie move to a higher level of mental compelxity).

A  clear example is Behavior and perceptions of Greek consumers before crisis and now day under crisis effect.

Overall, the Greeks enjoy life, this can be seen through their festivals and the closeness of the family, they do not knew  to stop on their night life. In the beginning of the crisis it was very difficult for them to change their LifeStyle.And now day after a long time crisis they overcome the resistance and reduce in maximum the spending for nightlife and shopaholic.

Thank you

Barbara Kellerman on Followership

Book7:Sway – The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior

http://www.swaybook.com/swaypreview/05a.swf

I would like to mention something beautifyl in the book that is a real story:

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

Logic says it should've been different if I was there. I'd like to think I would've taken the time to stop and enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity.

But I'm pretty sure that's wishful thinking. Granted, it would depend on the circumstances and whether I was in a hurry to get somewhere. But the truth is, my propensity to procrastinate means I'm almost always in a hurry to get somewhere because I'm always late. So, the odds are rather huge that I would've hurried right past him, dragging my kids behind me despite their appreciation for the magnificent that has not yet been dulled by the me-first, more is better, rush, rush mentality that permeates our culture.

I am afraid of this fact and it almost makes me weep because I sensate that I am missing the most beautiful  moment of my Family.

Thanks
Elda Gostivari

More Than a Way to Fly — A Way of Life - southwest airlines

Sway
More Than a Way to Fly — A Way of Life



About southwest airways

Last summer , I was thinking to arrange online tickets via net from Las Vegas to Reno in USA .

But all airlines tickets were so expensive ( delta airlines, American airlines even cheap flight sites )

While searching I found southwest airlines website which is Texas originated airways and the I tried to check it out is it safety airline or has good conditions and other facilities.

Reviews were very excited about it . it is very popular airways in USA especially in south-west part.

The prices are also very reasonable and their service was over normal( because in local flights no meal service or no drink and food service available as free. You should pay for everything). In southwest , at least there was a free drink and peanuts( but how they spread them that is also irrational )

I arranged four tickets over net .

And also in their website , there is an early-bird check in . they do check in for you if you pay $10 more . I also did them . one way is only $ 50 per person and under 2 ( for baby) no charge .

( las Vegas – Reno fly time : 1 hour 15 minutes) and also you may use 2 baggage's per person ( 25kg each) no extra charge ( because in USA , for each bag there is an extra fee )

All these seem to me incredible.

Lets talk about irrational part

When I go to Las Vegas airport , I checked in and took my boarding pass then checked my seating places as usual .

The numbers seem different 16 A, 17A, 18A ( we are three + one baby ) but normally It should be 16A,16B,16C OR D,E,F ( same row different columns) so we were thinking and discussing with my wife .how is this possible ? and till boarding time imagine different possibilities.

When that time comes, first they call us for being line .they announced that first group A will come , from 1-45

Then group B then group C

so I realized that we are in group A so we are in first 20 and another different thing is there is no seat place in the flight.

Who enters first , he sits anywhere he wishes. I paid $10 extra but I understand that this for guarantee seats . but also I learned another point if you have small children , before all groups they call you. So no need to pay $10 each .

so we thought that we are going be the first , yes I was true we took in first. But I shocked the reason is when we stepped into the flight, half of the flight was full. But before boarding I saw people that they were stepped out . this is another irrational , flight comes from another city and there is a connection in Las Vegas but people from other city want to go to Reno wait in flight and in hurry they take us and take off to Reno.

But I am sure that I will use southwest airlines again  in  this following summer



THE IRRESISTIBLE PULL OF IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR



Service facility , air hostess and fasten seat belt stories coming soon .

Book5: The Power of Positive Deviance

One of my favorite statements in the book is: "It's easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than to think your way into a new way of acting". From an innovation point of view, experimenting constantly and innovating regularly leads to new strategies and new processes, when "top down" strategic direction often fails. 

Acting my way into a new way of thinking is going to be a greater challenge.  If you act, you risk failure.  Or perhaps even scarier, you risk success!  Then what?  I am part of an intentional Company in Tirana.  We are doing a study on racism, which has been interesting in a room full of white people.  But at some point, study has to stop and we have to take on action.  What are we going to do in response to what we have learned?

The most important thing, or one of them, I believe, is to be aware of our white privilege as we choose and carry out actions.   What actions we take could have a million forms, but if we are not aware of our privilege and how that shapes what we are doing, our actions risk harming, not assisting in liberation.

As a traditionally Company (which is changing on a national level) we must be aware that our liberation IS wrapped up in the liberation of others.  And we can study, be aware, and work, but until we begin to act our way into a new way of thinking, the old way will remain.

I can’t wait to see what actions come out of our study.  This Company has existed for more than fifteen years and has always backed them up with direct action.  This is an exciting time for me.  This is an exciting time for the Company, my little local one and the larger one…we get to act our way into a new way of thinking, aware that our liberation is tied up in that of others.  Let’s go and do it!

Book6: FOLLOWERSHIP

The below system structures include the external environment, the climate and structure of the cockpit, individual attributes, and the roles and responsibilities of the crew members. 

These various factors are acknowledged and attended to through effective communications. 

External Environment. We identified four external environmental factors -- factors
over which the flight crew has little or no control -- that influence leadership and followership.
While the crew may not be able to change these factors readily, their reaction to these external
factors may be critical to flight safety.

Climate and Structure. Much more within the control of the flight crew are the internal
climate and structure. The ultimate goal of setting a climate and establishing a structure is to
ensure effective crew performance.
Roles and Responsibilities. At the individual level, the leader and the follower(s) are
defined by the hierarchical position held--their formal role.
Knowledge, Skills & Attributes. Each member of the crew brings to the cockpit
knowledge, skills, and attributes which can be applied to their formal role , to their designated, functional role, and to their informal or emergent role as a leader or follower.
Communications. Effective communications is an essential component of the
leadership/followership model. It is the critical link and crew members need to communicate
openly and supportively.
Interacting Skills. Skills analysis resulted in the identification of six skills common to
both leadership and followership.

Regards,
Elda Gostivari

Followership vs Switch

Followership: How Followers are creating Change and Changing Leaders?

Vs

Switch: How to Change things when change is hard?

First of all I would like to mention one Experiment which was done by University of Leeds, one of the best universities in UK and world. Scientist of this university proved that only 5% of the people can manage the rest 95% of the people just due to “gregarious” instinct.

These Followers may take a decision or choice without thinking if they see that other people do the same. In one of the experiments people were suggested to move around of big premises: some were directed with a path, some were free to move in any random direction. Later it was noticed that those people who were not instructed to move to any specific direction, started to follow the ones, who had specific path.

This kind of behavior scientists call “gregarious” instinct , which we have from the first days of our life and it influences on our development during childhood. But later on this ability to imitate may lead to some negative characteristics of our personality, such as exposure of majority, inability to take decisions by his/her own, etc.

We can recall our own behavior: it is so difficult to say NO when everybody says YES. And if even you are able to say NO, you will be alien person for the society.

Here we can bind “Followership” book with “Switch” to understand “How Followers are creating Change and Changing Leaders” we shall understand firstly “How to Change things when change is hard?”. For this purpose we gonna use tips from our previous book:

1. Direct the Rider (our Leader from “Followership”)
2. Motivate the Elephant (our Followers from “Followership”)
3. Shape the Path

Have a nice weekend,
Tatiana

Followership: Do we use our followership power?

We have a lot of social problems in the world and unfortunately most of us do not do anything to change something. We have to think about what we are doing for other people or for us. Actually I can admit I do not do my part. The problem can be about your your city, country, work, people in certain age etc. also it can be global problem like recycle, hunger people etc. We have to ask ourselves what we are doing to change!

If you are alone, it is not possible to solve any problem for that reason people should move together to be able to change something better. If there is a problem about goverments, people should move together otherwise a few people cannot have enough power to change their ideas ar even to change goverment. Beeing together give power to reach the goals.

Sometimes I feel msyelf bad because I feel like I live just for myself. I do not show any effort for anyone else I don't know. There are a lot of local and international organizations and I do not any relation with them. One time I tried to join a organization "make a wish" and I was so excited to do something for anyone else, to make some benefits but I postponed to join the meetings due to my personal life.

I just live for myself and it makes me feel bad. When I saw homeless people on the street, when I watch a documentary about what we did to the world, when I realize some animals used for enjoyed people... even them I do not do anything and it makes me feel a sense of guilt... :(

Regards,

Burcin

Small Talk

I really started to love this phrase. At the beginning i was not very entuthiastic in choosing this topic with our team when we had the presentation, but after, i thought in the end it is all about "small talk".

It is like an added value somebody has. The first impact (the click), the first phrases you say, the eye contact, the body language, the way you close the discussion.
An advise -In every business you have choose the persons that are good in small talks, it will change the way of work and give more value to your products.

Regards

CLİCK THE MAGİC OF İNSTANT CONNECTİONS ORİ BRAFMAN& ROM BRAFMAN

The click way is the way how we make an immediate, deep, and meaningful connection with another person or with the world around us. Is this not what we all want to achieve in our life!?

Mostly we tried very hard to click people we consider import for our life or that can conditioned our future life but it is when we discover a shared similarity with someone we've just met—an it doesn't matter in which areas the similarity happens—we accept that person as part of our trusted group. One of our owns.

I certainly believe that clicking is a magical and very interesting thing, but in my opinion by doing a click can help us take more control by making quick connections.

br.

Idi SULO