Seek simplicity and distrust it. —Alfred North Whitehead

Another complication of humans is that what you see on the outside is not what is on the inside. Most of the time, when we observe someone’s “behavior,” that is, the changes the person makes, we may only be able to observe the force that triggered the release of the spring. It would be incorrect to assume that is the only force driving the person’s behavior. Many forces drive the person’s actions, the summation of which is called the “resultant” force that points in a specific direction from one space to another (within the person’s life space).

The resultant force is a “theoretical” force because it does not actually exist—only the individual forces actually exist. The resultant force is the easiest to observe primarily because we can observe the actual movement from one space to another and we can develop some assumptions about the force that must have caused the movement. It is much more difficult to decompose the resultant force into the “real” forces to be observed and measured individually.

The key point is to be careful in making observations and conclusions about people. As a salesperson, you have found that driving simplicity usually helps people make decisions and take action. You will be most effective driving agreement for change, however, if you understand people’s different perspectives and the forces under the surface.

Be careful not to make erroneous assumptions and be ever vigilant in looking for the actual forces. The process of decomposing the forces is similar to the cliché of peeling an onion. For every force you think you understand, ask the question, “What forces are driving this one?”

When someone, especially if that someone is you, says, “It’s simple,” remember that simple minds see things simply. It is true that all things are ultimately simple. But don’t fool yourself into believing you have a complete understanding. Always ask yourself, “What is under the surface that I am not seeing?”

Be an effective change leader by getting under the surface to address underlying issues and find additional ways to achieve agreement.

Remember what you see on the outside may not be what is on the inside. Dig under the surface to discover what is on the inside. Drive agreement and change by looking under the surface to address concerns and find agreeable terms