Do they prefer carrots or sticks? - Part 1
Have you ever wondered why you need to dangle a 'carrot' in front of some people to get them to act while others only seem to respond to a 'stick'? It all depends on what 'meta-programme' their brain usually runs. Meta-programmes are basically internal filters that we pass information through. They specifically relate to the way we sort and categorise information and can go a long way towards predicting how someone will act. There are a number of different meta-programmes that people's brains can run at different times and the one involving sticks and carrots is called the 'towards/away from' meta-programme.
'Towards' people and 'away from' people
'Towards people' tend to strive to achieve a particular goal or outcome. They feel a strong need to move towards something and will concentrate on getting there, often to the exclusion of other activities. Their focus will either be on the actual goal or on what they will have once they've achieved it.
On the other hand, 'away from' people strive to avoid a particular situation or outcome. They don't want to experience the loss or discomfort associated with that situation or outcome and feel a strong need to move away from it.
So, how can you find out what meta-programme a person is running so that you can tailor your communication style to one that will motivate them to act? The answer is in the language they use. Actively listen to the way they talk about the future and particularly to answers to questions like "What will having 'xyz' mean to you?" or "What do you want or not want from 'xyz'?".
'Towards' people will tell you what they want while 'away from' people will tell you what they don't want.
Once you've worked out how they are motivated you will be in a position to modify your own language to obtain the results or actions you want.
In Part 2 we'll look at ways of communicating with 'towards' people and 'away from' people so that you can use their meta-programme to help you achieve your goals.
