Show Your Negative Trait: A way to increase Credibility?
Let me hear your comment on this.
A blog called Smart Graduate School Applications has an article on a phenomenon: If you deliberately showing a weakness trait, it helps to increase your credibility.
In the article, he mentions number of examples. Here is one: A waiter who negatively comments about the restaurant’s dishes and tries to gain credibility. And with that, he could gain customer trust and leverage to recommend other expensive dishes:
Experienced waiters in high-end restaurants use a neat trick to gain trust and credibility with customers. While taking orders, they point out that whatever was ordered:
“…isn’t that good tonight, may I suggest the (cheaper dish)?”
This immediately gives the customer reason to believe that the waiter is on their side, since he is willing to comment negatively about the restaurant’s dishes and point to a better dish that is cheaper (which would actually have the effect of decreasing his tip).
In the customers’ eyes the waiters credibility has increased considerably because of this show of objectivity. Of course, the waiter then goes on to leverage this increase in credibility by recommending more expensive wines, appetizers, and deserts - thereby increasing his tip considerably.
Do you think it is working that well? Do you think it is a dirty trick?
Credibility - [Smart Graduate School Applications]
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Comments
Mark says on December 5th, 2006 at 10:05 am
The waiter’s example is a dirty trick if it’s a lie, of course.
I think it can definitely add to a job application, though. It pre-empts a very common interview question, and has a “nothing to hide” feeling to it.
Brian Westover says on December 5th, 2006 at 11:52 am
It’s only a dirty trick if it’s dishonest. Otherwise, it’s simply a clever technique.
MFD says on December 5th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
We live in capitalist socity where the majority of us are “selling” either a product or service to someone else.
As consumers, we know the tactics that are used to get us to part with our money, so it can be refreshing to be “sold to” in a way that makes the consumer feel that they are being looked after during the selling process.
Not a dirty trick assuming the consumer had knowledge of what they are purchasing and that the goods sold are equal or better to what they were going to purchase.
The Cranky Product Manager says on December 5th, 2006 at 5:11 pm
The Cranky Product Manager never realized she was using a technique before! When interviewing for her current position, she said “I think what you are doing sounds really great and I am interested, but I am wondering why you selected my resume out of the pile since I don’t have any experience in your industry. This sounds like such a great opportunity that surely you have lots of candidates with actual industry experience banging down your door.”
Next thing you know, the Cranky Product Manager’s future boss was saying “I like you, you’re a straight shooter. I need more people like that, no matter what industry they’re from. Even if you are really really cranky!”
It works. Works much better, though, if it is true. There should be no issue with confessing a weakness unless you are truly without flaws.
Barbara says on December 6th, 2006 at 11:24 am
For me it would depend on the nature of the ‘negative’ comments. I do not think I would hire a person who was said to be difficult to get along with. This is particularly relevant to me because I recently dealt with such a person, and in spite of that person’s ability to do the work; it did not make up for the negative aspects of trying to get along with her.
One can hire good employees (even excellent employees) who understand that it is counterproductive to be ‘difficult’ in a work environment. Employees may work together and disagree and not get get along and be cordial every day; but a difficult personality is not one that should be encouraged in the workplace.
I understand the value of candor in a recommendation because it may help the employer make a sound hiring decision. But such comments should be sifted. Do not assume that inserting a/any negative comment will be considered such rare insight that it will push the applicant to the top of the candidate list.
Mark G says on December 12th, 2006 at 9:59 am
That paragraph about waiters is almost an exact rip-off from one of the books on Influence by Robert Cialdini.