What do you know about the Science of Influence? If the answer is “not a lot,” then you need to listen to this as it affects the world of business more than any other and if you’re not armed, you’re vulnerable….
Recruitment and the Science of Influence
Accountancy may concern primarily the nuts and bolts of a business, but this influence stuff is not just the preserve of the marketers and advertisers – it affects everyone whether we like it or not.
Take the recruitment process for example. Now let’s say your company is undergoing some major changes, a restructure for instance, and needs temporary specialists to ensure that the transition goes smoothly and to eliminate any silly little hiccups along the way. Now, when you’re trying to fill the roles you’ll be subject to all sorts of influences that most people are simply not conscious of, and that can mislead you and be bad news for the business.
You don’t have to be Derren Brown to realise that apparently mundane human actions are directed by advertising, the press and even whatever subject happens to be discussed next to the coffee machine. However it goes deeper than this.
Thinking things through logically
A leader of the field, Robert B Cialdini identifies the tendency we have to take shortcuts in our thinking, which can be helpful but can also work against us. What happens is that we effectively go into autopilot instead of thinking things through logically. Sometimes it’s because we’re time-poor and just need to get the job done fast, but this doesn’t always bring us top results.
So in our recruitment scenario, if an attractive candidate walks into the interview room then what will happen? We’ll generally have a more positive response to him or her than we will to an unattractive candidate. This has nothing to do with sexual orientation and isn’t vulgar or sinister, it’s just that we unconsciously respond to facial symmetry, good posture and smart turn-out as signs of health and intelligence and automatically think that we’ve got a good candidate on our hands.
This is a psychological shortcut and whilst it is sometimes right, it’s often wrong. A brilliant brain will often lurk behind a scruffy exterior and we can easily be misled. Think of Boris Johnson for instance. Whatever one might think of his politics and behaviour, he is nonetheless an Oxford graduate and a former Mayor of London, so clearly there is intelligence and character behind the infamous appearance.
Understanding the principles for success
Accountancy is just as touched by the Science of Influence as any other part of a business, and once you understand the principles at work, you’ll be much better placed for success.
At BTG Recruitment we are in tune with all the latest developments within the fields of Finance and Accountancy. By specialising this way we can focus all our attention on delivering excellent results and using intelligent techniques to meet your needs. For a confidential discussion with one of our expert team, call 0115 960 7000 or 0161 214 3840 now.
