Learned helplessness?

One Sunday evening, I was ironing some shirts very fast.  My smallest daughter said, 'How are you so good at ironing?'

I explained that I learned whilst I was in the ARMY which was my first career.  Something I didn't appreciate before I joined up, is that ALL service people have to be able to iron their own kit.  Not only that, it has to be immaculate. 

As you might imagine, most soldiers don't join up to iron clothes.  But we all had to and there were consequences if we didn't.  That's the thing with unpleasant tasks, if there are consequences for it not occurring, it'll probably get done.  If there are rewards for doing the unpleasant task, we might in time, even get to 'enjoy the task.'  Essentially, any task is pretty boring to somebody, somewhere.  But there are always people that it isn't boring to.  Here is a picture of me from the ARMY days. If you look really closely, you might just be able to see one of those ironed shirts I seem to be so proud of in this blog!

I told this story to a non ex-servicemen friend. He told me (confessed?) that not only that he couldn't iron a shirt, he didn't even know how to work the washing machine in his house.  If home alone, he would have to phone his partner at work, disturb her to ask what buttons to press!  I realise that in the scheme of things, that this is a not a life a death situation.

However, why can't this intelligent person master the simple household appliance that is the washing machine?

My theory is learned helplessness. In other words, he has been rewarded for failing (remember that model Andy C?) If he doesn't do it, or does it badly, he gets rescued and therefore never needs to attempt to do it again - it becomes one of those things 'he just can't seem to do right.'  The competent person takes over and just does it themselves anyway.

This also applies to managers that meddle. Give a person a task to do. Let her do it without you jumping in and correcting all the time, and they will give it a go.  Correct them too often or too early and they give up.  It becomes one of those things 'she just can't seem to do right.'  The competent manager takes over and just does it themselves anyway.

Take care
Paul