Here are some suggestions for for
effective writing concerning human behavior. For example,
these tips can help write effective performance evaluations or
analyses of behavior.
One of the most under-appreciated skills of managing human
behavior is the ability to accurately observe and describe it.
Often, people fall back on writing their interpretations of
behavior rather than actually describing what another person
did or said. For example, they might write that a person
seems uninterested in their job or shy rather than describing
the behaviors of the other person that led them to make these
interpretations.
This is a problem for several reasons: First of all, one of
the most powerful ways to help other people to change their
behavior is to accurately reflect it back to them, so they can
see exactly what they might want to change in what they do and
say.
For example, it is not very helpful
to write that a person "seems shy." By contrast, if you
describe how the person usually hurries through lunch and says
little, the person now has an idea of how to change their
behavior.
Second, disciplining oneself to
observe and describe behavior generally increases the rigor
and intellectual depth of your analysis of that behavior. It
requires greater care than slapdash labeling and tends to
reveal important connections that otherwise would be
overlooked.
Third, describing observable facts
leaves open for discussion and learning the question of why
the person behaves as he or she does. It is important to be
able to distinguish between facts and your interpretations of
those facts. This gives you the opportunity to explore with
the other person whether your
interpretations are in indeed correct.
Finally, describing behavior to
another person tends to evoke a less defensive reaction from
them than interpreting or labeling their behavior. When people
react defensively, they are not able to listen well and tend
to resist change. If you minimize defensiveness, you are
likely to be more successful in getting the changes you seek. |
