March 5, 2010Line cutting PowerPhrase proves Speaking Strong is contagious
Crucial Conversations’ Kerry Patterson reported on a confrontation experiment that proved that when people get the words to graciously address issues, they are far more likely to speak up.
It was a line-cutting experiment where a researcher cut line to see if people confronted the offender. No one did. Then they repeated the experiment with another researcher planted in line who confronted the infraction harshly. The line-cutter apologized and went to the back of the line. They followed this with yet another line-cutting researcher to see if anyone would follow the example of the person who addressed the issue. No one spoke up.
In a final experiment, they had a researcher planted in line who was graciously assertive when another researcher cut line. He said,
- I’m sorry. Perhaps you’re unaware. We’ve been standing in line for over fifteen minutes.
The line cutter apologized and went to the back of the line. This was followed by another researcher cutting line. 85% of the time, those who observed a gracious confrontation politely yet firmly addressed a subsequent line-cutter.
Thanks to Kerry Patterson and his team for demonstrating what my SpeakStrong community and I have known. When we get the words to say what we mean and mean what we say without being mean when we say it, we become empowered to speak up.
Be sure to read the post. Like all Kerry’s posts, it’s insightful and interesting. I was thrilled to discover it.
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This kind of ties in to one of your themes from last week. (When you used the example of how attorneys in a study were more likely to volunteer their time, as opposed to agreeing to work “cheap.” It was all about how they viewed themselves.)
Anyway, in this week’s post, the people putting on the experiment who politely confronted line-breakers provided an example. The other people in line were shown the kind of people they, themselves, wanted to be. How they wanted to view themselves.
On the opposite extreme, the people putting on the experiment who harshly confronted line-breakers provided an example of the kind of people the others in the line did NOT want to be. How they did NOT want to view themselves.
Pretty cool, if you ask me!
Comment by Kris — March 12, 2010 @ 10:31 am