A Lesson From My College Fraternity
Summary
- When I took over as Treasurer for my fraternity, I was warned about a guy with a bad track record for paying dues.
- Despite the warning, I texted him on my first day, expressing my belief in his honor and trustworthiness.
- To my surprise, he paid his entire dues in cash the very next day.
- My approach was based on what I learned about persuasion; treating someone as though they have positive traits can inspire them to act accordingly.
- People often want to live up to positive expectations, especially if those qualities are ones they desire themselves but haven't been recognized for previously.
- It's important to give individuals the chance to prove themselves, as they may adjust their behavior to gain approval and fit the positive label offered to them.
- This experience reinforced the concept that how you treat someone can significantly influence their actions and self-perception.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest first looking at people you're working with like they're already the person you believe they can be. See, when I was in charge of getting dues from my fraternity brothers, everyone said one guy wouldn't pay up. But, I texted him, told him I thought he was honorable, and guess what? He paid the next day, all in cash.
So, what can you do? Start by showing trust. If you're a boss, tell an employee you know they can handle a big project. If you're starting a business, treat your customers like they're already loyal fans.
Here's a step-by-step action plan:
- Identify Positive Traits: Think of good qualities people have or might want. Like being reliable, honest, or hardworking.
- Express Belief: Tell them you see these traits in them. For example, "I know you're really reliable when it comes to delivering on time."
- Give a Chance: Let them show you they’re like that. If it's a team member, give them a responsibility that requires reliability.
- Reinforce Positive Behavior: When they live up to the good things you said, make sure you acknowledge it. Say things like, "I knew you had it in you," or, "See, you're incredibly reliable!"
Remember, it costs nothing to believe in someone. But that belief can turn them into the person you both want them to be. And that's how you can make a big impact without spending a dime or a lot of time. It's all about how you treat people. Give them respect and confidence, and watch how they grow. That's the low-cost, high-value action you can take today.
Quotes by Alex Hormozi
"I think you're a super honorable guy and I know you're good for it"
– Alex Hormozi
"I'm not worried about you paying up"
– Alex Hormozi
"You can give someone a positive attribute that they aspire to be like"
– Alex Hormozi
"Especially if it's something that they haven't had a lot of and they want"
– Alex Hormozi
"They will try and act in accordance with that to continue to gain your approval around that label"
– Alex Hormozi
Full Transcript
there was a guy on my fraternity he had a terrible reputation with paying people when I was Treasure I had to collect money from my friends the last treasure told me don't even try with this guy he's never going to give you money so the first day that I came into office I texted that guy and I was like hey I just want to let you know I'm Treasurer now I think you're a super honorable guy and I know you're good for it I'm not worried about you paying up I just want to let you know he showed up the next day the entirety of his dudes in cash and paid me and I think the thing is is that like everybody treated him like a piece of so he acted like a piece of and I had been reading books about persuasion and I read something all Laing which is that you can give someone a positive attribute that they aspire to be like especially if it's something that they haven't had a lot of and they want they will try and act in accordance with that to continue to gain your approval around that label because they might want that for themselves but no one's give them a shot
