Member-only story
Want To Be Objective? Just Say You are!
Why commanding groups of people is not the same as commanding the truth.
Tour Guides
Over ten years ago, I was learning to lead groups of tourists through the cobbled streets and narrow alleyways and underground vaults of Edinburgh, Scotland, while telling stories of centuries past. The delivery standards were exceptionally high, like nothing I had experienced before when travelling, and I was fortunate to count on incredibly talented mentors. I remember one of them telling me I had to be in control of the group: they had to laugh or cry or be terrified when I wanted them to, on cue, almost as though I could psychologically command them.
The idea shocked me at the time: could you do that? Engage a group of individuals to the extent that you can not only predict but guide their reaction to your performance? Can you enthral them to such a degree? And then, as I saw my mentor do it effortlessly and felt impostor syndrome creep up inside me, could I?
Belief And Emotion
Indeed, a critical part of mastering the trick is to believe you can do it. A couple of years later, I was mentoring new tour guides myself. The skill goes beyond tourism, however. It is a skill we all need when leading any project or collective. It is a skill we can…