I went to see Derren Brown the other night at the Garrick theatre. It's the first time I've seen his live show and it was awesome. In my experience, Derren is a bit like Marmite – you either love him or you hate him.
I fall into the former category. I love the way he sets out his stall and tells us that what we are about to see is conjuring or a trick. Despite this, some of us still believe that it is spooky or supernatural. We put our own interpretation on to what we see around us, even though the evidence is immediately in front of our eyes. Even when we can't yet see it.
There was a brilliant documentary a few years ago, showing him in the States where he 'modelled' well known faith healers, spiritualists, speakers of tongues etc. to see if he could get the same results. His ultimate aim to be accepted on their team. Without exception, by modelling what they did, their body language, their breathing, their language, their beliefs, he found he was getting the same results – and in a very short space of time. And they loved him and thought he was one of then. And even when he explained to them what he had done and how he did not have supernatural powers but that he was getting the same results, they chose not to believe him.
The power of belief is phenomenal. We choose to believe what we do. We carry our beliefs around with us wherever we go. They drive our behaviour and are often confused with facts. Our beliefs help us make sense of the world – whether they are supportive or whether they get in the way.
Sometimes, when I'm working with someone, helping them achieve a new goal, it can become clear that there are some old beliefs which are getting in the way. We may believe we are not good enough, or not clever enough or skilled enough to lead that team, or get a new job or customer.
Sometimes these beliefs can make you feel negative and less resourceful. It can be hard to snap out of it. Does that ever happen to you?
And what's all that got to do with Derren Brown? I hear you ask. Well, to me he personifies modelling different behaviours. If you want to do something really well, it's common to find other people who are good at it, whether its football or poker, to find someone to coach you. The same is true in work. If you're not getting the results you want at work, you may want to think about finding a coach to help you model the person who already gets the kind of results you want.
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