What Works: Labels, categories, and how they hold you back
Submitted by editor on Mon, 07/07/2014 - 10:51am
Education and learning is in my blood. I just love it. So, it should be no surprise as soon as I got my certificate from the HarvardX course “Immunity to Change: A New Approach to Personal Development” that I jumped into a new course on EdX.org called “Tangible Things.” Also taught by Harvard professors, this course challenges students to look beyond face value and dig deeper to find new truths about the objects in the world.
As I go through this course, I begin to realize individuals who slap labels on people, places, things, and ideas. You see it everywhere. Someone is a member of a certain party. Label. Someone has a certain sexual orientation. Label. Someone is dressed a certain way. Label. Someone acts a certain way. Label. This process may help us feel safe, comfortable, and prepared to act a certain way. But does it really serve us?
If you have an irate customer, do you slap the “difficult” label on them? Does their level service decrease? Or, do you dig deeper? A good waiter, I have seen, will kill a difficult customer with kindness. I witnessed this at a local restaurant recently. The customer started to cry, apologized, and said she was having problems at home. The rest of the dining experience seemed to be pleasant for both the customer and the waiter.
Slapping a label on something is a protective mechanism. On some level we feel if we can categorize it, we can cope with it. As much as labels can protect and can serve their purpose, they can also limit us. We cheat ourselves out of knowing new people, experiencing new things, or understanding new points of view. The “labeling mindset” has the potential to limit us in our lives, businesses, and careers.
Instead of walking around with a label maker in your pocket this week, try to dig deeper on just one person, place, thing, or idea you are tempted to categorize and put away. What was your result? Did it confirm or disprove your assumption? The floor is yours, Carson City.
Post note: You can attend the same class I am attending for free by going to EdX.org and searching for “Tangible Things.” EdX.org is a marvelous site that lets you take top university courses online through the Honor Code system. Some courses you can get a certificate in. Give it a try. Expand your mind this week.
ABOUT DIANE HANSEN
Diane Hansen is the Chief Inspiration Officer of What Works Coaching, a coaching firm that has helped people worldwide with their businesses, careers, mindsets, and profit margins. She brings to Carson City more than 17 years of experience with a wide array of clients, ranging from top corporations, motivated entrepreneurs and individuals hungry for a fresh start. Her column appears every Monday on Carson Now.
