A research study a number of years ago revealed that people are more honest when they think they are being watched!
Note: when they think they’re being watched.
What was amazing was what this “thinking we’re being watched” meant.
The study involved an experiment where for a week they measured the amount of money voluntarily donated to an “honesty tin” at the side of the coffee pot in a staff room. The idea is familiar I’m sure; when you make a coffee you put some cash in the tin to help buy the next jar of coffee/ pint of milk etc.
After a week, the amount donated was totalled up.
The next week, they pinned up a picture of a pair of eyes on the wall next to the coffee pot/ honesty tin. The amount of money collected in this week was seven times the normal amount!!!! And none of the people consciously registered that there was a picture of a pair of eyes on the wall. Very interesting.
So, evidently we act with more integrity, and more the way we want to be perceived, when we think we are being watched…
Without turning your life into “Big Brother”, it’s worth asking what do you need to be “watched” over?
Sales calls? Health and fitness? Time effectiveness? Procrastination? working ON your business?
Why not put a picture of a pair of eyes on your notice board, or on your desk, just as a subconscious reminder?
And, who do you imagine is watching you?