The Picture Of Success Approach Rather Than The Trying To Persuade People Approach

This is an approach that can work with individuals, teams and organisations. The aims are:

To present a positive picture of success;

To show the benefits of achieving this picture of success;

To work with the people who have positive energy and want work towards achieving this picture of success.

This approach is different from trying to persuade people who may not be interested or have their own agendas. It is to work with the people who want to volunteer in rather than those who have other views.

There are many ways to apply this approach. Let’s look at one example of translating it into action.

The Picture Of Success
Approach In Organisations

Good leaders sometimes use this approach. They may gather the people in their team and say something along the following lines.

Welcome to today’s session. Today I am going to share with you our goals – the picture of success – for the next year. I will also explain the principles we want to follow and the reasons for these.

This will be followed by giving you the chance to ask questions for information. The next step will be for you to take time to reflect and clarify how you would like to help to achieve the goals.

We can then make clear contracts about your best contribution and the support you may need. Bearing these things in mind, here is an overview of our aims for the next year.

Imagine that the leader has presented the picture of success, the principles and the positive benefits.

They may then aim: a) to answer some questions for information; b) to invite people to reflect and clarify the contribution they would like to make.

Some leaders take another approach. They give people the opportunity to go into groups and do several exercises. They invite people to focus on the following themes.

Like About It – The specific things they like about it.

Additions and Suggestions – The specific additions and suggestions they have regarding it.

Concerns and Questions – The specific concerns and questions they have about it.

Success Rating – The present rating they would give regarding the chances of achieving the goals. This to be done on a scale 0 – 10.

The specific suggestions people have regarding what can be done to maintain or improve the chances of success.

Such leaders then invite people to present back their ideas. Some of these may then be incorporated into the action plan for achieving the picture of success.

Imagine that you wanted to take this approach with a team. The following pages provide an introduction and instructions for the exercise.

Imagine that a leader has either given people the opportunity to ask questions for information or do the exercises described above. Such a leader may then say something like the following lines.

I would now like you to take time to reflect and decide if you would like to contribute towards achieving the goals. If so, we can then make clear contracts about:

The specific contribution you want to make towards achieving the goals;

The specific support you may need when working towards achieving the goals;

The specific things you will do to proactively keep people informed about your progress towards helping to achieve the goals.

Bearing these things in mind, take time to reflect. When appropriate, you can then meet with me or your manager to focus on the next steps.

Thank you for your time today. I look forward to working with you to achieve the picture of success.

Such leaders build on the people who want to contribute towards achieving the picture of success. They do not get into arguments or try to persuade people who do not want to do so.

They may then bring in people who do want to contribute. They will aim to be moral and help the other people to move on in, as far as possible, a positive way.

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Different people follow the picture of success approach – rather than the trying to persuade people approach – in different situations. When doing so, they follow the principles described at the beginning of this piece. They aim:

To present a positive picture of success;

To show the benefits of achieving the picture of success;

To work with the people who have positive energy and want to achieve the picture of success.

Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of this approach? How can you do this in your own way?

If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.