Personal Identity: ROI of Behavior in Business and Life

Identity and Relationships

I read this on John Henry Clippinger’s blog for his book, A Crowd of One. Clippinger was quoting David Brooks.

Even David Brooks – conservative U of Chicago grad -in a recent editorial in the New York Times – acknowledges – begrudgingly that a new narrative is in the making..

â€œThe logic of evolution explains why people vie for status, form groups, fall in love and cherish their young. It holds that most everything that exists does so for a purpose. If some trait, like emotion, can cause big problems, then it must also provide bigger benefits, because nature will not expend energy on things that donâ€™t enhance the chance of survival.

Nature doesn’t do things that don’t pay off.

People don’t either.

Yet the payoffs we go for don’t always enhance our chance of survival. Think of these people

Stevie who stays in a bad job because she thinks that no one else will hire her.

Tyrone who shuns a formal resume when going for a job he needs

Wally who tweaks the blog all day rather than trying to contact potential clients.

Gerald who is cranky and complaining and treats most people — those who work for him, those who sell to him, and his customers — as if they are stupid

Dot who says “I’m too ____ to learn how to do that” though she is brilliant.

All of these “example people” seem involved in behaviors that are keeping them stuck in less than ideal situations. Yet, in every human action we realize some return on how we invest ourselves and our time.

What payoffs do you see in these situations? How might you convince one to look for a stronger investment — one that will give them a positive return?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.