The Danger of Being “House, MD”

“I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV.” You know the ads.  Even though we know this person isn’t a doctor, we tend to listen to him or her.  Even House (Hugh Laurie) who doesn’t wear a white coat, is seen as an authority on all things medical.  People tend to believe authorities. And they will listen to you if they perceive you to be an authority in your field.

The power of authority is one of the strongest influencers. People have been known to do horrible things if directed to do so by an authority.  In a classic research study in the 1970s, Stanley Milgram wanted to see how far people would go at the direction of an authority.  They were told to keep asking a series of questions; when the responder answered incorrectly the questioner was told to give an electrical shock to the responder.  Each wrong answer brought a greater shock.  About two-thirds of the questioners went all the way to the higest voltage shock on the orders of the authority. (There was actually no shock being delivered; the responder was in on the experiment.)

I watched a video of the entire experiment; it is chilling to see how many of the people were distraught by having to keep giving the shocks but how they kept on going at the demand of the authority.

Authority is Dangerous. It’s dangerous to the person who has the authority, because he or she has to be careful to use that authority wisely. It’s also dangerous to the authority figure, because if he or she gives advice as an authority, he or she is held to a higher standard. That’s why malpractice insurance is so costly; doctors can be sued for making mistakes. And it is dangerous to people who blindly listen to an authority who may be giving bad advice.

Authority can be Helpful. As a small business owner, your authority can be an advantage.  For example, if you have a degree or business experience you can do consulting.  Your ability to convince people you know what you are talking about makes them listen to you as you explain the benefits of your product or services.

How to Promote  Your Authority. If you want to appear to be an authority in your business field:

• Hang up your diplomas and certificates, as doctors do. People love this stuff.
• Make your office look professional, but not too expensive.  I know a plastic surgeon who has two waiting rooms – one with kids’ toys and comfortable chairs for his ENT (ears-nose-throat) practice, and one with expensive antiques for his plastic surgery practice.
• Drive a nice car. People don’t trust someone who drives a beat-up car.  They believe the person isn’t successful.
• Do public speaking and have people introduce you as the expert on your subject.
• Promote your bio on your website so people can learn about you and discover that you are an authority.

But remember, if you say you are an authority, you had better be one.  People get angry when they find out someone isn’t for real. House gets away with it because he’s good.  But most of us aren’t House.

Image source: Newscom