Are we in control of financial markets, our landscapes, communication and ultimately of our universe? According to Kevin Slavin, as algorithms are increasingly used to break out ‘big things into small things’ and build ‘small things back into big things’ we have less and less control over our universe. In this TedGlobal talk, he shows how these complex computer programs determine: espionage tactics, stock prices, movie scripts, and architecture.

‘We are riding these things that we can no longer read’ and we lost sense of our world. You can find those algorithms everywhere, in financial markets, but everywhere else. Algorithms lock in loops with each other without human supervision. Netflix “pragmatic chaos’ for example is trying to understand what movie you want to watch in order to present it to you. ‘Epagogix’ is an algorithm that movie moguls use to determine whether a movie will be a hit or not. Cleaning robots are algorithm based. Have you ever been in a button-free lift (one of those where you have to select your floor before you enter the lift).

We are increasingly designing our world with algorithms. ‘If you are a wall street algorithm and you are 5 micro-seconds late, you are a loser’. The closer you are from the place that the internet is distributed from, the more advantage you have. So algorithms trading companies hollow out building next to the building where the internet originate to close the deal 3 micro seconds faster, and gain that competitive advantage and squeeze revenue out of that space.

We are now writing code we can’t understand, with implications we can’t control. Which leads to a question that has been at the centre of philosophers and scientists attention for a few decades now: do we have enough wisdom to handle the complexity that we have created in the world? The answer so far has been negative.

Wisdom is not taught as a skill, but can be developped in many ways. At The MasterMinds, we hope to make a contribution through the trainings and the experiences we facilitate for the public (check the schedule of courses here).

Developping the ability to think systemically is one of the requirements for the leaders of the 21st Century who will be faced with a world that is increasingly complex and uncertain. We address this specific issue during the Collective Values module of the NLP Master Practitioner Certification course, based on the work of Clare Graves (next course in November 2011).

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In this 10mn RSA Animation, Dan Pink explores what REALLY motivates us in the 21st Century. Studies have shown that the carrot and stick (work more — earn more) works well when it come to purely physical work. However, with anything above basic cognitive skills, the relationships between money and effort become inversely proportional. In this context, HOW do you motivate people?

Watch this video to find out.

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Watch this TED video by the Chief Belief Officer of the now well known Future Group of India. The new trend in business thought.

“Next time you meet a stranger, understand that you live in the subjective truth, and so does he. When you understand it, you’ll discover something spectacular. You’ll understand that within infinite myths lies the eternal truth. Who sees it all? Varuna (the sea God) has but a thousand eyes. Indra (the sky God) hundred. You and I, only 2!”

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One of the most crucial skills for success and happiness is the ability to change our perspective on circumstances, people, situations, behaviours etc…

The technical term for this is “reframing”.

Reframing is about changing the meaning OR the context of a presenting problem or behaviour. It is used ALL THE TIME. In selling, reframing is called handling objections! Reframe yourself to regain motivation, or change perspective on a challenging situation. Reframe clients in coaching. The list is endless.

How Does It Work?

So, how do you reframe, how do you change the meaning or context in sales, in management, education or in coaching in order to change how you or others understand the world around them?

The Polish-American scientist and philosopher Alfred Korzybski coined the phrase “The Map is not the territory”, which indicates that all meaning is context dependant. Let me write that again: all meaning is context dependant. If a certain word has a certain meaning, the meaning depends on the context in which it appears.

This is how they make dictionaries! By checking in what context the word appears in all the books in print. All meaning is dependant upon the context in which is appears.

What does this mean? All content is reframable by changing the context, if we change the structure of what we are talking about, we can reframe virtually anything.

By the way, if you are in the business of advising or coaching people, this  is a fundamental truth to keep in mind: what your client tells you (the content) does not matter as much as how they tell you (the structure). Advertisers and marketers have known and utilised this for decades!

In sales, the ability to reframe means making a difference to your turnover. What’s one of the most common objection in sales? “It’s too expensive”. A few years back, l’Oreal created what has become one of the most famous reframes in the world of marketing with the tagline: “Because You’re Worth It”.

Different Types Of Reframes

There are many ways to reframe, but in this article, we’re looking at 2 major reframes: Context and Meaning Reframes.

What do we do when we reframe? We shift our thinking from the level we are at, to a higher logical level; it is like handling a paradox. You are thinking outside of the box the person in front of you is thinking. Your ability to think OUTSIDE OF THE BOX is what is going to make a difference in your results.

Context Reframe

It is best used when someone tells you “I am too …” or “It’s too…” (as in “it’s too expensive”)

You ask yourself “what’s another context for this behaviour where the meaning will be different or the person will respond differently to the same behaviour.”

An example you have probably heard before. “I do not like this food!” “Well, some people do not have anything to eat!”

Another example: “It’s too expensive.” “Expensive? It’s only $2 per day! Less than the price of a cup of coffee!”

You can shift the context by shifting
– location
– time back and forth
– circumstances of the family
– shift to business or relationship
– age
– resources, what skills do you have now
– intention of the behaviour or consequences of the behaviour
etc…

Ask yourself: What is another context for this behaviour that will shift the meaning of this behaviour?

Meaning reframe

Best used when someone tells you “it makes me feel bad”, or “Whenever X happens, I respond Y”

Here, you want to change the content.

Ask yourself: “what else could this behaviour mean?” “What is another frame that will change its meaning?” You change the meaning of the behaviour.

An example: a few years ago, an ad to sell cheap White Tuna went like this “the only Tuna that will not turn pink.”

Another example from one of my coaching clients: “My boss always comes to me when he wants someone to deal with this most difficult customer who is also the most important.” “He must trust you so much!”

Ask yourself: “What else could this behaviour mean?” “What is another frame that will change its meaning?” You change the meaning of the behaviour.

So now what?

OK, so not, are you ready? Just for fun:

1. Make a list of the most common objections you get in your line of work,

2. Ask yourself the 2 questions above and jot down some possible reframes, write as many as come to you, and at least 2.

3. Go ahead and next time you hear the objection, deliver your reframe and see the effect.

Practice and you’ll become a master at reframing!

Want to know more?

Check out the next training HERE (or copy and paste http://www.themastermindsgroup.eventbrite.com in your browser).

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The One Step To Successful Negotiation & Problem Solving

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