|
Human beings are social creatures.
And a LARGE portion of our brain is dedicated to communication. Spoken words, music, facial expressions, body language…our brain sees it all. And no matter where you work, who you are, or what language you speak, there are ways you can use this psychology to help. Using your communication skills and body language to your advantage can make a lasting impact and help you be more persuasive to the people around you. While you think this may be something just for corporate professionals in high-profile organizations, this can be helpful for anybody. Understanding how critical persuasive communication skills are can be a huge advantage in any setting. So, what techniques can help you improve your communication skills and become a persuasive speaker? 1. Body Language and Mirroring When it comes to influencing others, your body language speaks louder than your words. Reading others' body language is an essential skill that can help you understand their thoughts and feelings. By understanding their non-verbal cues, you can tailor your message to communicate more effectively. Be aware of any signs of anxiety, stress, confidence, or other non-verbal signals. In turn, Use non-verbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, and body posture to convey your message confidently. You can also adopt mirroring techniques when you're speaking with someone to show that you’re listening to them. By examining someone’s posture, physical actions, or speaking patterns, you can subtly copy those actions. This can communicate familiarity and help with…
0 Comments
 Have you ever seen faces in places they don’t belong? Maybe a wall outlet with a surprised expression? Or a smiling face in the holes of a cardboard box? Or the shadow of a person in chipped paint on a wall? Or, maybe most controversially…a face on the surface of Mars? In 1976, Viking 1 was sent out into our solar system to snap photos of Mars and beam them back to NASA here on our little blue marble. While most of the images were of the barren Martian landscape, one photo showed something that caused a craze that has persisted for decades.  That is a face. A large face. Approximately two miles across. On Mars. When the photo hit the public, it caused a sensation. It's become a staple image for conspiracy theorists claiming extraterrestrial life and has been featured on magazine covers like the National Enquirer on a seemingly annual basis.
After all, it’s a face. Something like that had to be constructed, right? However, as NASA stated, it's just a trick of the shadows. If you don't believe it, here's a photo of the exact same location from 2001 taken with a better, higher-definition camera. No face. Just a mesa on the surface of Mars. But what does this have to do with seeing faces (that aren’t actually faces) in random places? Whether you’re a corporate professional in a high-profile company, a customer shopping around for the latest and greatest products, a student, a homemaker, or anything in between, there are a lot of things that can affect how we see and interact with the world.
We often overlook the psychological factors that influence our decisions. It's easy to believe that we make rational and objective choices, but the truth is that our minds are subject to countless biases and cognitive errors that affect our judgment. Some of these biases are well-known, such as confirmation bias and the halo effect, but others are lesser-known and more peculiar. So today, I want to explore seven quirky psychological biases that you've probably never heard of and how they can impact your work and life. 1. The Dunning-Kruger Effect The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people overestimate their abilities or knowledge. The effect was named after David Dunning and Justin Kruger, who conducted a study in 1999 that found that incompetent people often lack the skills to recognize their own incompetence. As a result, they overestimate their abilities and are more confident than competent individuals. This bias can manifest in the workplace when employees who lack competence believe they are performing well and resist feedback or training. 2. The IKEA Effect The IKEA effect is a cognitive bias in which people overvalue things they've invested effort into creating. The effect is named after the Swedish furniture company IKEA, which sells furniture in flat boxes that customers assemble themselves. Studies have found that people who assemble IKEA furniture rate it higher in quality and value than people who receive the furniture pre-assembled. This bias can apply to projects in the workplace when individuals value their contributions more highly because of the effort they've put into them.  Despite the lighting-fast development of AI, humans are still the best when it comes to creativity and innovation.
But daily tasks, deadlines, and office politics can often leave people feeling drained and uninspired. But what if I told you there was a simple solution to not only add some excitement and novelty to the workplace to fight off burnout but also help increase the creativity within you and your team? If you’re asking, “Jeff, what kind of magic is this that you speak of?” Well, um…it’s…it’s magic. Magic will help you do that. But how? Well, to help you understand, I’ve listed 5 reasons why magic can boost creativity and inspire innovation in you, your co-workers, your staff, your company, and your work environment. 1. The Power of Wonder: Do you remember how big and amazing the world felt when you were a kid? It seemed like anything was possible. And because of that, kids are incredibly creative. So, why not channel that as an adult? Awe and inspiration are key ingredients to unlocking creativity, and magic has a unique ability to create these emotions. Whether it’s through illusions, sleight of hand, or mind-bending tricks, magic transports us to a place where anything is possible, opening our minds to new and imaginative ideas. By incorporating magic into your team-building activities or meetings, you can break the monotony of the workday and create a sense of wonder and excitement, prime conditions for fostering creativity.  I had a discussion about magic props with my mother recently that completely caught me by surprise.
"I'm trying to find an old Ouija Board." (which, by the way, has a super-interesting history.) "Are you out of your @#~!% mind?" was the response from my mom. (She probably didn’t ACTUALLY say that, but imagining a 72-year-old woman telling me I'm "out of my @#~!% mind" is hilarious, so we're gonna go with it. Sorry Mom.) My family isn’t big into the supernatural. I would classify my family as barely religious, maybe mildly superstitious, but that's about it. Ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and the like were always more-or-less dismissed as nonsense used to scare kids or entertain adults. So, I was surprised when my mom started to take a guarded interest in me searching out a Ouija board. Of course, I started to ask questions. My mom told me that when she was younger, she was at a sleepover with some girls from school, and one of them had brought a "talking board” with her. Of course, the teenage girls attempted to see if they could make contact with...well, something. Mom said that they had some garbled half-words appear, but for the most part, it was a very uneventful teenage seance. But after, when my mom started telling her family about the board (and how boring it was), things got weird. My mom’s aunt lectured them on how Ouija Boards are evil and they're vehicles for demons to take hold of you and use you for their bidding against the Holy Lord and Saviour. I realized that, as my mom told this story, this reaction from her aunt was more disturbing to her than the actual board itself. She told me this story as a warning: not so much against the evils of the Ouija Board itself, but the responses from people when you associate yourself with one. But this reaction is understandable, right? Because a lot of people think Ouija boards can be used to receive messages from the Great Beyond. But do Ouija boards actually send you messages? Well, in a way, yes. But they don’t come from the spirit world. 7 Sneaky Psychological Hacks That Can Help You with Your Business - A Mentalist's Perspective24/7/2023  As a professional mentalist and magician, my entire career revolves around not only understanding human psychology but also how to manipulate it. And every year, I get to flex my psychology muscles and show off in front of crowds at company events, holiday parties, and more. And there are a few things I hear at these events often:
“Man, can you teach my sales guys how to get inside someone’s head?” “You should come to work for us!” “I wish I could do what you do…it would make my job so much easier!” From influencing people’s decisions to swaying opinions, there’s no denying the power that a little bit of psychology can wield. And not only can understanding human psychology be helpful to a mentalist on stage, but it can also be incredibly beneficial when it comes to succeeding in the business world. So today, this magician will be sharing seven sneaky psychological hacks that can help you take your business game to the next level. So, buckle up and get ready to learn some powerful mental tricks that can help you stand out!  We’ve all heard this at some point in our lives:
“The number one fear of the average person is public speaking. The second fear is death.” However, public speaking is a fundamental aspect of a lot of different jobs, especially those in the corporate world. Whether it is presenting a new proposal or speaking at a conference, every professional must step up and deliver a powerful message with confidence and authority. However, most people struggle with public speaking. Maybe they get nervous or fumble over their words and fail to make a real connection with their audience. Well, what if I told you that the secret to becoming a more engaging public speaker is to think like a magician? As a professional mentalist and magician, I have performed in front of thousands of people over the years and learned a thing or two about captivating an audience. And today, I’ll share some of my go-to tips for being a more engaging public speaker just for you!  “How do you do that?!”
I get this question a lot. It comes with the territory of being a professional mentalist and magician. After all, performing the impossible is my job, so naturally, people want to know how I do it. But the truth is that there’s a lot more to it than just tricks. Have you ever watched a magician perform and found yourself completely baffled by their tricks? You're not alone. Magicians have been captivating audiences for centuries with their illusions and sleight of hand. But have you ever stopped to think about how they do it? Not just their methods, but how do they manage to manipulate our minds and deceive our senses? The psychology of magic is just as interesting as the methods of magic tricks, so let’s dive into the psychology of illusion and explore how magicians use it to create their mind-boggling performances! 1. Misdirection One of the most effective techniques used by magicians is misdirection. To put it simply, this involves drawing the audience's attention away from the real action while they perform their trick. For example, a magician may use a brightly coloured scarf to distract the audience while they secretly make a coin disappear. By directing our attention elsewhere, the magician is able to execute their trick without us even realizing it. But this isn’t as simple as “Hey! Look over here!” there’s a lot more to it. The human brain can only focus attention on one thing for so long. In fact, a lot of misdirection magicians create happens when you’re looking right at something you’re not supposed to see. It’s not about moving quickly or hiding things. Magicians control your attention. It’s about making sure you’re fully focused on something else while the real magic is happening right under your nose. You can even experience it yourself by watching this video.  I recently rewatched Derren Brown’s The Push on Netflix.
Derren is a master at using suggestion to get people to comply with what he wants them to do. He is also a master at using suggestion put people (and the audience watching them) in situations where the moral is that we don’t have to be controlled by the suggestions we face every day. And in The Push Derren Brown uses social engineering to see if an average, everyday person would commit murder by pushing someone off of a building. But this is far from the first time someone has wondered how far people will go to comply with the social pressures around them. And in this article, I will tell you about four incredible examples of how social compliance can manipulate your decisions and what you can learn from them.  There’s been a big event in my household. We bought the next instalment of the Star Wars franchise. It was a momentous occasion. Ever since Lucasfilm (or Disney, or whoever you want to call it) decided to continue the iconic space opera, Hannah and I have been keeping tabs on all the updates, leaks, and releases of the upcoming films. So, since the release of The Last Jedi coincided with Hannah’s birthday, it became the perfect birthday gift. But, to make sure we had all the story up to date when we watched The Last Jedi, we went back and watched the The Force Awakens first. And while watching The Force Awakens, a very unusual conversation popped up around one particular scene. In the movie, there’s a moment where C-3PO (a gold, very proper, humanoid robot, if you’re unfamiliar with the films) pops out of a spaceship, greets everyone and says, “you probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.” Camera pans to a full body shot of the droid, showing his usual golden arm replaced with a bright red one. Cue running gag for the remainder of the film.  Seeing this, Hannah says, “Huh, I guess that makes sense...you know, when a car gets damaged, sometimes the coloUr of the part doesn’t match. It’s probably the same for droids.”
To which I responded, “Yeah, kind of like when 3PO had a silver leg in the first Star Wars trilogy.” Instead of getting an “Oh right,” or “Yeah, I remember,” all I got back from Hannah was a confused stare. “What are you talking about? He’s always been gold. What silver leg?” The Force Awakens gets paused. Multiple Google image searches ensue. Eventually Hannah concedes that the silver leg did indeed happen, but she’s sure that she remembers it differently. Alas, Hannah is another victim of…(cue dramatic music) The Mandela Effect.  When I wrap up a show, I like to talk to my audience. I like stick around the venue, thank the people who hired me, the people I involved in the show, and generally try and have as many conversations as I can with people from the crowd. I do this for a few reasons. I always ask if people enjoyed the experience, and truly listen to their compliments and criticisms. I also like to stick around and help maintain the fun atmosphere I just spent so much time and energy to create. But mostly, I like to show my audience that I'm a real, live, approachable human. It's not unusual to have people approach me with a sideways glance and say something like "Wow, you really freak me out," or "do you have...you know...a 'gift'?" after a show. While it's not a regular thing, it does happen from time to time. But, I tell them it's all just a show, they laugh, we have ourselves a merry little time and, for the most part, it stops there. I say "for the most part" because every once in a while, I get something a little more unusual. I've had people voice their concerns about how what I do is...well, not looked upon well in some religious circles. I'm aware that people who do what I do traditionally had that spooky, occult-ish connotation about them, but things have changed a little since the Days of Yore. Now, instead of spirits, ghosts, or other oogie-boogies being claimed as the "source of someone's power," it's psychology, or neuro-linguistic programming, or suggestion, or even just something as simple as luck. I myself say that everything I do is through "science, suggestion, and good old-fashioned trickery." I'm simply deceiving you. The reality I'm presenting you with is a false one; I've left out a few steps to make my silly little tricks seem a little more impossible. (This idea of having a 'disclaimer' in a mentalism act isn't a new one...but we'll touch on this at a later date, mm-kay? Mm-kay.) For the most part, this explanation puts those concerned for my eternal soul at ease. They realize that I'm doing what I do through entirely natural and not-evil means, and that my only goal is to make sure everyone enjoys themselves. There's that pesky "for the most part," again. Why is it there? Because, one night, after doing a public show, a patron handed me a mess of paper. I hastily jammed it into my pocket and cleared my stage. When I finally looked at it, I was, shall we say, surprised.
Yep. That right there, is two pages from the Bible (from Luke, more specifically) and a index card reading:
"Did you call your Mother? Evil will not win. Love is stronger. I pray for your eternal soul, Jeff Newman. You were born a human being. Do not return here. I will bring others." |
