Number of words – 173

Manipulations are a perfectly valid strategy for driving a transaction, or any behaviour that is only required once or on rare occasions. The rewards the police use are designed to incentivize witnesses to come forward to provide tips or evidence that may lead to an arrest. And, like any promotion, the manipulation will work if the incentive is high enough to mitigate the risk.

In any circumstances in which a person or organisation wants more than a single transaction, however, if there is a hope for a longer lasting relationship, manipulations do not help. Does a politician want your vote, for example, or does he want a lifetime of support and loyalty from you? Judging by how elections are run today, it seems that all they want is to win elections. Ads discrediting opponent’s, a focus on single issues, and an uncomfortable reliance on fear or aspirational desires are all indicators. These tactics may win elections, but they do not seed loyalties among the voters.

Excerpted from ‘Start with Why’ by Simon Sinek