COOKIES FOR THE UNCOOPERATIVE
Frustrated by her inability to get the cooperation she needed to meet her project schedules a project manager complained, “I can’t get people in other departments to deliver as promised. My projects are just not a priority for them.”
“I understand your frustration,” a more seasoned project manager in the class responded. “When I go to ask people in other groups to help on my projects I often bring them a box of cookies. It’s amazing what a difference that can make.”
“Other people have also told me that trick works for them, but to be honest having to bring cookies to coax people to do what they’re already being paid for really pisses me off. I don’t feel like I should have to bribe people to do their jobs.”
”I used to feel that way myself,” the veteran pm said, “but now I think of it more as a way of expressing my appreciation for their help.”
Breakthrough is not just about what you do, but how you think about what you do. One person brings a box of cookies, and the recipients feel appreciated and want to help. Another person performs exactly the same action, but subtle nonverbal cues leave the receipts feeling like this person is trying to bribe them with a crappy box of cookies. The same behavior driven by different beliefs can produce dramatically different outcomes. Our training helps people discover not only the behaviors that produce breakthrough outcomes, but also the beliefs that sustain them.
