Are you Less Respected Because You Shared a Weakness?
Goal: Discuss whether a sob story is effective way to sell or relate to people
I have stopped counting or paying attention to webinar sob stories. Am I the only one?
Most webinars will start off on a positive note about the subject. Then the presenter goes into telling you their life story and how it sucked. They will then tell you how difficult their life was or how they were “just like you”.
Why?
They learned this from influence psychology. It is believed that by telling you their story of struggle you will see yourself in it. The presenter makes you feel that you too can overcome it by doing the things that they recommend.
Do you buy into it?
Well, a lot of people do and pretty soon by the end of the webinar they are throwing their cash at the presenters. It is amazing to observe.
Often the follow up emails just keep reinforcing the story and how you can overcome. Again and again.
What I do not like is the manipulation. They might have a hero’s journey story in which they overcame their X to get to Y. Good for them BUT the way they use it is to make you feel that you can just as easily do what they have done and succeed. To me that is where they are manipulating you into believing that you can also do the same thing.
I believe that knowing the path is important. This is what they sell you on helping you to understand the path.
BUT to me the larger component is the emotional state you have to create in order to move from pain to action. That is something only you can do for yourself.
Don’t get me wrong, I empathize with their pain and applaud the path that they followed. That is important to share BUT the emotional pull is even more critical to getting people to move towards the goal.
Maybe I am wrong?
Sharing your weakness is perceived as a strength these days. I am not completely sold on that idea. Most people are tuned in to the WIIFM (what is in it for me) station. Sharing your pain is a momentary distraction to them. Most often they can not help you but only serve as a kind ear at best.
I would even guess that 50% of your listeners are probably not even interested in your weakness and pain. They got their own stuff to deal with and could care less about your struggles. BUT that is not what is shown to us in media.
You are the only one that truly cares about your struggles and weaknesses. It is important to have someone that would be willing to listen to you just so that you can hear yourself explain your problems. BUT do not expect help. Just expect to be heard AND maybe understood.
Knowing team dynamics is important before you share your weakness. Most teams are not there for your emotional support. They are formed to execute a task towards a goal needed by the organization. Only time emotion gets played out is if one or more of the team members are not performing their sub-task. Then it gets very emotional. So don’t expect empathy from a group.
Kind of harsh???
Let me know if you disagree.
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