Creating the

PYGMALION
EFFECT

The Pygmalion Effect

SELF-FULFILLING

PROPHECY
This self-fulfilling prophecy consists of four factor elements that together to make up the Pygmalion Effect. Among these fundamentals include climate, feedback, input, and output. When
incorporated together, a more beneficial and effective environment is formed individually as well
as overall in a business atmosphere.
Our circle of influence includes people and aspects involved in ones life that effect and contribute to their outcomes and experiences. When the Pygmalion Effect is applied to a person
with Pygmalion philosophies, it will produce positive results in overall relationships, both with
yourself and members of your circle of influence. In fact, anyone can adopt a Pygmalion attitude towards all of the pieces of their life - with family, friends, school relations and business relations alike. For example, a person who exercises the four essential factors involved in obtaining
success through the Pygmalion Effect in educational relations will create an experience beneficial
to the outlook of their learning experience. They will also come to its advantages in the future
through their career oriented goals.

THE FOUR
FACTORS
CLIMATE
Factors within our climate
consist of non-verbal, both
positive and negative,
messages. These messages
include tone of voice usage,
eye contact, facial expression,
as well as body posture, smile
and positive head nodding.
Demonstrating such non-verbal gestures can positively
contribute to the way in which
others perceive a person. By
focusing on developing more
positive non-verbal messages,
your attitude will naturally

become more encouraging to

the people around you.

such as positive reinforcement

and constructive criticism.

In a classroom, a student who

strives to present these characteristics may likely be recognized as a dedicated student
by their teachers. Likewise, an
employee who demonstrates
positive climate factors may
likely build a greater relationship with their manager.

Utilizing the above climate

factor traits may enable you
to be more effective in gaining feedback throughout your
circle of influence. Students
can benefit from this by developing a more respectable or
hardworking reputation with
their professors. The more effort you put into a professors
course, the better relationship
you can build and the more
you will get out of your learning experience in their classroom.

FEEDBACK
The second factor of the Pygmalion Effect is feedback,

Likewise, the more you create a positive image of yourself towards

peers or fellow students, the more you can develop relations where
feedback is provided. In turn, this can be helpful to improving
your overall educational performance.

INPUT
The third element of the Pygmalion Effect is the concept of input.
This is the amount of information given to an individual. When
incorporating input into your personal plan to develop a Pygmalion attitude towards members of circle of influence, this factor
can provide you with more positive challenges that enable you to
expand your personal skills.
The more time you put into your education, career, projects or
goals, the more knowledge you will obtain. If you allow your
dislikes or weaknesses to become a roadblock in giving something
every single thing you have to offer, you may miss out on a great
deal of knowledge that life is offering you. If the outputs of your
business are failing, you can always assess the inputs and make
small adjustments accordingly to achieve a better result.

OUTPUT
Output is the fourth element of the Pygmalion Effect. This has to
do with the amount, or lack thereof, of output that one thing contributes to another. In an organizational setting, output can relate
to the amount of effort a manager encourages from their team.
Managers who create an environment where there is always an
opportunity to present ideas for improvement will experience a
greater output than a manager who does not show interest in the
opinions of their team.
In a classroom setting, the attitudes of a professor or fellow classmates can help create the amount of confidence an individual incorporates into their disposition throughout their classroom interactions. When a student is put in an atmosphere where individual
participation is encouraged, it can create greater involvement in a
class discussion or a course overall.

There are many different ways you can create the Pygmalion Effect in all aspects of your
life. The Pygmalion Effects Expectation Cycle goes like this: We form expectations...
We communicate our expectations... Our expectations are matched... Our expectations
come true.
By developing the mindset to expect more of yourself, you will likely increase your inputs
and see more positive results across your outputs. An individual who sets high performance goals or seeks out outstanding potential in themselves or others will bring forth
more intentional results of a Pygmalion Effect.
It is always nice to receive positive reinforcement from a professor, a manager, a colleague
or a friend - especially after youve worked
hard or gave all your efforts to a project to
succeed. When you do receive this kind of
support, you naturally pass it along to your
friends, colleagues or classmates and collectively help each other down the right path to Pygmalion success.
Developing notions from the Pygmalion Effect
will provide you with a more positive attitude
overall. It can have a positive impact on your
relationship to yourself, members within your
circle of influence and your representation of
yourself. Ultimately, this can help you create
a more positive influence and improve your atmosphere, your standards and your viewpoints.

FURTHER READING
Pygmalion in Management
Don Edens Book for Productivity as a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Lexington Books
The Pygmalion Effect
Article by R.W. Goddard
Personnel Journal, June 1985

IF YOU BELIEVE IT... IT W

CREATE
YOUR OWN
Utilize These Tips
Expect more of yourself
and your subordinates
Set high performance goals
Introduce new employees as if
they have outstanding potential
Help employees advance
through the organization
Positively reinforce employees
for a job well done
Give negative feedback
when necessary, but refrain
from destructive criticism
Become aware of your own biases
and fight negative stereotypes
All training should be done with the
self-fulfilling prophecy in mind