Priming with warmth

Lawrence Williams, an assistant professor at CU - Boulder conducted a fascinating experiement where he found a connection between physical warmth and warm feelings towards others. Basically, he read a scenario about an individual to subjects and asked them to rate how likable the individual was. During this experiement, he was shifting some things he was holding and asked the subject to hold his cup of coffee for a few seconds. The ratings of likeability differed based on whether the coffee was hot or cold - those getting a warm cup rated the individual as warm and likeable and those holding the cold cup rated him as less likeable.

Our reaction may be based on biological responses - we trust those who are warm and physically connected to us and like them more (like our moms and dads). This is a very simple, but powerful, priming effect that can be used to your advantage in the workplace. For example, giving warm, and hearty, handshakes are usually associated with liked individuals. Or, having meetings over a cup of coffee (hot!) can produce positive feelings and associations.

You can find the original article in Science (2008):
Williams and Bargh
"Experiencing Physical Warmth Promotes Interpersonal Warmth"
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;322/5901/606

Giving Feedback

I am reading a new book Management Rewired: Why Feedback Doesn't Work and Other Surprising Lessons from the Latest Brain Science by Charles Jacobs and it is annoying me. It makes many claims with "scientific" backing, but sometimes the examples used and/or the statements don't really agree with the underlying framework of the author. For example, he talks about how feedback isn't helpful and can be destracting and damaging. However, then he talks specifically about postive and negative statements that are used to reward and punish. While this is often how managers use feedback, that is not a good definition of feedback. Feedback is about giving information about how something is working - it doesn't have to be positive or negative in emotional tone. As a matter of fact, even if feedback is somewhat critical (that is, it is about correcting something you are doing wrong) once the initial defensiveness wears off, it can be very helpful.

For the one of the best guides on how to give good feedback, check out Seth Godin's article is How to Give Feedback in Fast Company (Dec 2007). The first tip is about sticking to the facts, which should help mediate some of the emotionality. You can check it out here:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/80/sgodin.html

Even though my initial impression of the book is guarded, there are some interesting studies that it cites, so I will continue to read and let you know further impressions.