The 'toothpaste tactic' to get the results you want

I remember the time when I was teaching my son good dental hygiene. He was always great at wanting to brush his teeth, he just wasn't so keen on using the toothpaste. As he got into the routine for using toothpaste each time he brushed his teeth, I realised that there is indeed a theory that can get you the results you want and bring about positive changes in behaviour. This blog looks at what I call the 'toothpaste tactics' and draws parallels to what can be done in the workplaces.

First, tell them what you want them to do 

"I want you to brush your teeth with toothpaste." It may sound very obvious, but the very first step in getting the results you want is to tell your audience what you want! Whether that's "X, I want you to come on time everyday"; or "Y, I want you to proof read your documents before circulating them to anyone"; its quintessential to let your audience know what you are after every. It helps in setting the expectations from a very early stage. Set clear parameters for the results you want to see. 

Second, tell them why they should do it and what can go wrong if they don't 

"When you use paste to brush your teeth, you kill all the germs, your teeth looks whiter, and your mouth doesn't smell. Otherwise, slowly tartar will build up on your teeth and leads to decay and discolouration of the teeth. In the second step, you tell them why they should do what you have asked them to do with a focus on 'what's in it for them?' and explain what's at stake or what they are likely to lose.

So going back to our examples: "X, when you come on time, it reflects well on your professionalism, and you don't miss out on the important things that are shared in the morning kick off meetings" or "Y, when you proofread your documents, you will pick up on the obvious typos and errors and it shows your ability to produce accurate information with attention to detail." Giving a good reason (or more) generally makes your audience willing enough to try accommodating what you have asked for.

Third, listen carefully, when you ask the question: is there any reason why you can't do it?

"Mama, I don't like that toothpaste, it's too spicy". In this stage, you ask the right questions and find out if there are genuine reasons which act as a barrier to the change in behaviour and make reasonable adjustments where appropriate. In my case, I bought a new toothpaste that was mild mint rather than strong peppermint and that made him more willing to try it. Equally in the cases of "X: on Mondays and Tuesday's, I go to drop my child to school and miss the train that would reach by the start time" 

; "Y: I have an eye condition which makes it hard for me to proofread on the computer." In both these cases, there are reasonable adjustments that can be made, like half hour later starting time for X on Monday and Tuesday and making large print documents available to Y for reading may solve the chronic issues that affect the behaviour. 

Next, lead by example and provide constructive feedback 

I used to brush my teeth at the same time as my son. He could see what I was doing and how. He used to observe, mimic the technique and I would often encourage him or hold his hand and show him how to do it correctly. Similarly, if you want your team to value timelines and punctuality, you need to be punctual too. If your documents or email are filled with errors and typos, it becomes difficult to expect accuracy without losing face. But if you were always on time and produced immaculate written communications, there is a greater likelihood of your team doing the same.

Lastly, reward positive behaviour 

When my son brushes his teeth with toothpaste everyday, he get a star. Now obviously stars aren't going to work for your employees but verbal acknowledgement also goes a long way. Occasionally, my son gets a sweet treat because he has cooperated and been a good boy consistently. I am extremely conscious to not make it into bribery ('if you brush, you will get sweet') but rather a reward for positive behaviour. Similarly, if X keeps to the flexible timings and Y has produced error free documents, these can be recognised as performance changes and appropriately acknowledged and rewarded. 

So, there you go.. That's my toothpaste tactics to getting the results I wanted. Yes, you will need to make variations and find the rewards or options or reasonable adjustments that work for you in different situations, but isn't that what management is all about? I hope you enjoyed reading this, and feel free to review some other unique theories to solving management issues at School of Mumagement blog.