Bridging Psychological Distance

Article from Harvard Business Review by Rebecca Hamilton

Some pointers that I've got are:

When psychological distance is large, we tend to think in more-abstract terms, focusing on the big picture, the desirability of certain options, and why we want them. In contrast, when psychological distance is small, our thinking is more concrete: We focus on the details, the feasibility of options, and how we will use them. For example, we can think of an action such as completing a sale either concretely, as “filling out an invoice,” or more abstractly, as “contributing to company revenue.”

Adjusting the Distance

Many time-tested “managing yourself” techniques fall into this category. The theory of psychological distance helps us understand when and why they are effective.

Social

·       Negotiation and leadership experts have long advocated for perspective taking—that is, attempting to understand your counterpart’s thoughts, feelings, and motives. The result is reduced social distance. The ability to put oneself in another person’s shoes comes more naturally to some than to others, but research has shown that even a simple directive such as “Try to focus on the other party’s intentions and interests” can improve outcomes.

·       In contrast, when you want to increase social distance—perhaps with peers you’re now managing—try using more-abstract language: Challenge them to increase revenue instead of asking them to fill out more invoices.

Temporal

·       Self-imposed deadlines are an easy way to reduce temporal distance, thereby improving your focus, productivity, and even performance. Another strategy for managing temporal distance is to visualize the future. Focusing on the desired outcomes—a sense of accomplishment and enhanced professional standing—can help you identify themes and points that will lead to them.

Spatial

·       You have the most control over this type of distance—and your manipulation of it can yield surprising benefits. Face-to-face meetings and customer site visits are obvious ways to reduce spatial (and social) distance, leading you to more-concrete thinking. When you want to increase spatial distance in order to stimulate abstract thinking, try moving to a different venue. Subtle changes in office and retail spaces, such as higher ceilings, encourage people in those rooms to think more creatively and make more connections between concepts.

Experiential

·       Product managers interested in reducing experiential distance in market research should consider moving from hypothetical questions to techniques such as asking customers to choose and use prototypes. And actual experience is what usually determines the success of a new product or service.

·       But when you’ve already developed something radically new and want to encourage adoption, greater experiential distance can sometimes be beneficial. Bullet points highlighting the features of a new product may be more persuasive than a live demonstration.

Substituting One Type for Another

Because all psychological distance involves the same underlying thought processes, substituting one type for another can spur either more-abstract or more-concrete thinking. This trick works so well that academic researchers use it to establish that what they are manipulating really is psychological distance: If it is, then any type—social, temporal, spatial, or experiential—should produce the same effect.

Social

·       When searching for common ground during a negotiation, you can leverage temporal distance by asking yourself what you would propose if an agreement had to be reached within the next two hours. You’re not doing anything to change the social distance between you and your counterpart—you don’t feel closer to the other person—but the urgency of reduced temporal distance may change how you think about and approach the deal making.

·       If you’re in a situation where you need to command respect among your peers (that is, increase social distance), spatial distance can substitute. Move to a new office down the hall; give yourself a bit more space at the conference table rather than squeezing in right next to your colleagues. You might also try to use temporal distance: Envision the legacy you’d like to create at your organization to encourage yourself to think and communicate more abstractly.

Temporal

·       If you find yourself struggling with large temporal distance—procrastinating on a big project, for example, or making retirement plans—try playing with social distance. Schedule a meeting with the colleague to whom you’ll need to deliver the completed work.

Spatial

·       Perhaps the most obvious substitute for spatial distance is social distance. If you are physically separated from people you’d like to influence—customers or colleagues—you can reduce that distance not only by visiting them but also by emphasizing your common attributes and interests.

Experiential

·       One way to fight your (and others’) temptation to choose products with lots of features—or those that substitute form for function—rather than more user-friendly versions is to reduce temporal distance. If your team had to start using that fancy new collaborative software tool today instead of next month, when it’s scheduled for implementation, would it still seem like a good investment? If you had to execute your recommendations for beefing up your company’s social media content approval process today instead of next quarter, would each of the checkpoints still seem necessary?

·       You can also reduce experiential distance by substituting social distance. Similarly, best practices feel safe because people within your organization or industry have already adopted them. Social validation is a powerful way to persuade others to adopt new products and practices.

Managers face challenges related to social, temporal, spatial, and experiential distance every day. They can overcome those challenges by understanding the common thread that links them and learning to either adjust the distance or substitute one type for another.

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big