One of the most powerful words in a leader's vocabulary is "because", because 😬 people like to have a reason for what they do.
"Because" is an effective trigger word. Research shows that as long as we can justify a behavior in our brains ("I'm doing this because..."), we would perform the behavior even if the reason didn't make sense!
People make snap decisions using as little mental energy as possible. To do so, we develop decision making shortcuts.
When asked to do something, most people use a 2-step, mental short cut - 1.) Do I understand what's being asked? and 2.) Did they provide a reason?
Unless the request is very demanding and requires a great deal of personal sacrifice, people never get to the 3rd step of "Is the reason meaningful to me?"
The formula - (request) (insert word "because") (reason)
Example - "Can I get you to turn on your (zoom) camera, because it helps me stay focused."
Research basis: Ellen Langer, 1977, Harvard University
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