Recently, I took part in a theatre production that didn’t quite go as I had anticipated. I have always been fond of the theatre but I noticed that each project was different from the other. It made me question why did I do exemplarily well in one project and flopped in the other. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it up until I reviewed the most recent theatre play. I didn’t quite get along with the director because he played favorites. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t envious of the other cast members, if anything I loved working with them but I always felt a significant drift in energy every time he addressed us. Could that have played a part in me not putting my best foot forward? Did his behavior influence my delivery? How many other things have I flopped or thrived in as a response to their behavior towards me? I couldn’t let this go so I did some digging and came across the term Pygmalion Effect.
Growing up, school was battlefield of it’s kind. The teacher always played favorites and the favorites always lived up to the teacher’s expectations while the kids who were poor at school received constant consistent bashing about how they would never amount to anything. Unfortunately, not many break free from this shackles of negativity. When someone speaks highly of us or has high expectations of us, we tend to work ourselves tirelessly to prove them right or maintain that reputation. Pygmalion Effect is a psychological phenomenon that describes how expectations can influence our behaviors. In simpler terms, Pygmalion Effect demonstrates how others expectations can greatly impact our delivery. If someone we respect or want to impress believes we will succeed, it influences our perception of ourselves. It could be the difference between you believing that you will achieve your dreams or that you will never amount to anything.
The Pygmalion Effect often features in countless aspects of life. It could happen at work. Your boss could give a project to oversee and they might express how they think highly of you and your competency to deliver an impeccable project. You will work tooth and nail to live up to their expectations to avoid disappointing them. On the contrary, if the express doubts, you might as well prove them right by living up to their low expectations. This calls for us to have a deeper understanding of how expectations impact the behaviors of both ourselves and others. The bitter truth is that impression matters. Put your best foot forward when dealing with your superiors to encourage greater support for you to achieve your goals. Even though the Pygmalion Effect might lead to differential treatment which is unfair, try believing in yourself more to stay motivated and prove the naysayers otherwise. Make the Pygmalion Effect work in your favor.
Ps. Just Saying.
JUST SAYING 