​The Psychology of Candy Jars and What They Teach Us About Leadership

 My wife Jeanne shared an interesting learning from work this week.

She recently picked up a candy jar and filled it with treats for her teammates when they come into her office.

What was interesting was the difference of the lid.

When the lid was off, Jeanne discovered people came in more often and took more than one candy at a time. Lid on, people would still come in, but would only take one candy at a time.

I find this fascinating, the psychology of a candy jar! Lid off, more accesible, open, friendly. Lid on, still availble, but more cautious.

Of course my mind runs to leadership principles. I wonder if we as leaders affect our "accesibility" to our teammates with a "lid on" or "lid off" cues?

You know those people who feel approachable, inviting, open? You feel comfortable engaging in conversations. They make it welcoming and "open"

But then there are those who put out the "lid closed" vibes. You just keep walking.

I wondered what a posture that says "lid off", open to engagement, would look like for leaders?

Three things came to mind.
1. Put the phone down.
2. Make eye contact.
3. Smile.

If you want to be the type of leader that people are comfortable approaching, these three are a great start. Our body language speaks volumes about whether we are "open" or "closed". Available or off-limits.

What are your thoughts on the "psychology of a candy jar"? Are there connections that we can apply to our leadership? Love your thoughts below.