Jul 31, 2020
What do you get out of Provoking People?
Ah, perhaps a good ole nonpermanent ego boost?
Jay Baer, founder, and president of Convince and Convert (an advisory firm that works with the world’s most iconic brands, including 3M, Oracle, Cisco, Hilton, and the United Nations) poses the question, if your content does not anger, inspire, or make people laugh, why are you posting it?
To partially answer the title of this article, provocation sells.
Great, let’s hand this information to someone in your sales and marketing team.
What if you aren’t selling a product or service? What do you get out of provoking people?
Ah, perhaps a good ole nonpermanent ego boost?
According to a Harvard Business Review article, the ego dismantles strong leadership. Hougaard and Carter elaborate on the words of CEO and chair of The Lane Crawford Joyce Group. The CEO emphasizes, “‘Managing our ego’s craving for fortune, fame, and influence is the prime responsibility of any leader.’ When we’re caught in the grip of the ego’s craving for more power, we lose control. Ego makes us susceptible to manipulation; it narrows our field of vision; and it corrupts our behavior, often causing us to act against our values.”
In focus, do you want to be a person of value or a person chasing ego? Do you want to surround yourself with people of value or people chasing ego? Do you want to work with people of value or people chasing ego?
Perhaps you convince yourself your provocation has nothing to do with your ego. It was necessary to prove your point or stand up for what you believe in. Okay, next question.
Do you prefer listening to someone screaming at you or someone actively listening and speaking at a normal tone?
Provoking people will not get you far. Don’t you think it’s time to stop?
