Pygmalion effect

Author: Chen Min
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: People's performance often aligns with others' expectations. The power of appreciation, trust, praise, and encouragement can inspire individuals to become better, offering profound insights for management, education, family, and personal growth. Some companies' small favors and various allowances and incentives do not qualify as effective appreciation. Effective appreciation is the kind that motivates employees to say, "You make me feel like I've achieved success." —From Appreciation Management by Cindy Wintherles.
My ability to inspire my employees is my greatest asset. The best way to bring out a person's full potential is through praise and encouragement. I have never found any person—no matter how great or esteemed—not to perform better when praised than when criticized. —Charles M. Schott, President of U.S. Steel, 1968.
In 1968, American psychologists Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted a fascinating experiment. They predicted the academic development of six classes of students in an elementary school and provided the names of students they believed had potential to the school principal and teachers in admiring tones, with strict instructions to keep the list confidential. In reality, the names on the list were randomly chosen. However, to everyone's surprise, after eight months, an amazing miracle occurred: the students on the list showed significant improvements in their studies, became more cheerful and lively, developed a strong curiosity, and formed closer bonds with their teachers.
Why was there such a remarkable difference after eight months? This is the phenomenon of resonance in expectation psychology. It turned out that after receiving authoritative predictive hints, the teachers began to look at these students with praise and trust, treating them with warmth and kindness. Even when they made mistakes, the teachers did not scold them severely but instead praised their strengths to show their trust in their ability to improve. In essence, they were playing the role of a Pygmalion. It was this implicit expectation and praise that boosted the students' motivation, making them more self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, and self-reliant, driving them to strive upward, hence the "miracle."
This effect, resulting from teachers' praise, trust, and love, was named the "Pygmalion Effect." The Pygmalion Effect offers us an insight: praise, trust, and expectations possess an energy that can change behavior. When a person receives another's trust and praise, they feel they have gained social support, enhancing their self-worth and becoming more confident and self-respecting. They are driven by a positive upward force and strive to meet the other person's expectations to avoid disappointment, thus maintaining the continuity of social support.
This book reminds every individual who aspires to excel in their career, create miracles in family education, navigate interpersonal relationships smoothly, and pursue success in their life and career. When you fully understand the Pygmalion Effect, grasp the essence of praising others and appreciating oneself, and apply it to life, harmony and trust will undoubtedly surround you. This book can be considered the best remedy for bridging gaps and resolving conflicts among people in enterprises, organizations, and individuals. It is also the best work on this topic in China.