In Business Some People Commit Self-Sabotage Against Themselves

Have you ever met someone who seemed to sabotage themselves whenever they tried to get ahead? If you thought they were sabotaging themselves, you were probably right. In a recent press release, researchers have announced that some people are their own worst enemy, committing self-sabotage against themselves.

Researchers at the University of Toronto, and the University of Washington, have found that how we view our own abilities in our workplace impacts whether or not we respond positively to successes at work. Many people unwittingly sacrifice being successful because of their own beliefs about themselves.

When confronted with dramatic success at work, people who thought that they did not have the capabilities that the job needed became disoriented and anxious. Their own reaction, in turn, caused their job performance to plummet, thus proving that they were not capable of successfully doing that job.

Conversely, people who believed that they could change and increase their abilities found success when placed in similar situations.

"People are driven to feel that they can predict and control their outcomes. So when their performance turns out to violate their predictions, this can be unnerving - even if the outcome is, objectively speaking, good news," said Dr. Jason Plaks, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto.

Researchers noted that to changing this outcome is possible. To do this, a person has to examine how they view their abilities, whether they have the ability to change their abilities and learn new things, or not.

By becoming aware of their outlook and taking steps to change their perception of themselves, people can increase their ability to succeed when presented with job opportunities down the road.

Additionally, developing this skill will likely serve them in a positive fashion when they encounter the ups and downs that life throws at people.

Plaks said, "If we can get people to change their underlying assumptions about their abilities then they may improve their performance and that is positive news for those charged with the task of getting people to reach their full potential."

About the study
Researchers tested participant's ability to learn new things, to be changeable, and their attitude about themselves and their intelligence in compiling this data. The participants were given intelligence tests, and then told how they could improve their scores.

Those participants who thought that they could learn new things and could change, scored better when retested than those who thought that they could not change or learn new things.

The results of this study have been published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Source:
http://www.newswise.com/p/articles/view/535608/