[April 25, 2015] Five of us first-grade boys were chewing gum in class against the teacher’s rules. Our punishment was simple, public humiliation by wearing the gum on our nose (all day) and extra laps around the playground. Did we learn not to chew gum in class? … Yes we did. Fast forward 15 years and I’m wearing gum on my nose and running laps for chewing gum at the Army’s basic combat training. Did I learn not to chew gum at basic training? … Yes I did. However, public humiliation is a poor teacher – at least most of the time.
Our ancestors used public humiliation in a much more profound way. It involved more than simple humiliation because it could also bring physical injury and death. Did those people learn not to disobey the rules? Yes, they probably did. There has been much written about the disadvantages of humiliation as a form of punishment. According to Dr. Linda Sapadin, people who have been humiliated sometimes adopt maladaptive behaviors; they embrace rigidity, playing it safe, shirking responsibility, and developing a fixed perspective.1
“It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellow beings.” – Mahatma Gandhi
As I read about humiliation, it is rare to find anything written in the last 50 years that says anything good about it. Yet, the question never answered is why was it used so extensively throughout the history of humankind if it doesn’t work? Well, to be frank about it, humiliation does work but the side effects of it working can be counterproductive. The world has changed and with it so has our understanding of human psychology and improved methods of teaching, learning, and the effects of outside stimuli on humans.
Humiliation is used mainly because it’s easy; requiring little thought or creativity. The results can be a powerful but a fickle way to motivate a behavior change. Many people, especially those with little mental resilience, are prone to be damaged by it. Those with stronger minds will see the punishment for what it is and move on. This is one reason humiliation should not be used against children or the infirm. Respect for others is another reason I find powerful for not using humiliation to get the results I want.
The lesson for leaders is to be very cautious when using humiliation because the results can be both powerful and highly unpredictable. Leaders are responsible for the well being and development for those they lead. Leaders who use humiliation, especially when done without giving it much thought, are taking an unacceptable risk and if they do, should reconsider their role as a leader.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker at our Facebook Page.]
——————————-
[1] http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/04/19/humiliation-is-no-way-to-teach/