I began my professional career in mental health before working in state government, public relations, and now government relations. Imagine how helpful it would be to a career in any of those fields if you were able to understand patterns of behavior, to recognize hidden agendas, to anticipate actions correctly, and to appeal to each individual’s strengths and interests.
Understanding what makes people tick doesn’t have to be rocket science. Using a simple acronym can help you focus on the right things. It is the W-H-A-T in what makes people tick:
- Watch what they do.
- Hear what they say (i.e. listen).
- Ask them to tell you why they do what they do.
- Treat people the way they want to be treated (using The Platinum Rule).
Watching what people do is a powerful tool for understanding them and anticipating their next actions. There are three keys to watching:
- Pay attention to the substance, not the flair.
- Look for patterns over time.
- Understand that stress causes most people to revert to earlier, less mature forms of behavior.
Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, but people’s’ words can provide you with a peek inside their hearts and heads. While watching behavior can help you tell what someone else will do, listening can help you learn about the why’s of that behavior.
Asking is the active cousin of listening. When you ask someone to explain himself or herself, you help set the stage for self-assessment. Being a good ‘asker’ not only helps you understand others better, it can strengthen your relationships with them.
Now that you’ve watched, listened, and asked, you can treat people the way they want to be treated. This goes beyond the Golden Rule, in which you only treat other the way you want to be treated. Being respectful and responsive to the wants and needs of others can help you make important allies.
Almost anyone can employ this approach to make a positive difference in their career by understanding what makes people tick. When you capitalize on the strengths of others, you help them to contribute and to be successful too, and that is in all of your best interests.
