Committing to Results
Many people dislike committing to results.
This is because they themselves do not know whether the results will turn out as expected.
The reason they do not know if the results will turn out as expected is that there are many uncertain factors. Since uncertainty is called risk, having many uncertain factors is referred to as high risk.
In other words, many people dislike committing to results because it is high risk.
When you think about it, something becomes a bit curious.
What exactly does that "certain company" do to commit to results...
If you think about it for a moment, the reason is simple.
The reason that "certain company" can commit to results is because they are lowering the risk.
As the number of related variables increases, the difficulty of prediction rises. Conversely, if you replace variables with constants as much as possible, the accuracy of prediction improves.
In other words, that "certain company"...
They replace what should originally be predicted values, such as "reaching a weight of X kg" or "reaching a body fat percentage of Y%," with goals, set milestones by calculating backward from there, and quantify what should originally be variables—"human behavior"—(by measuring the gap between milestones and actual results).
And by applying behavioral psychology, they must be reducing "outliers" in human behavior as much as possible. For example, setting a high enrollment fee is likely intended to target the sunk cost effect, and trainers frequently checking progress (calling out) is likely intended to target the Hawthorne effect.
Sunk Cost Effect
The sunk cost effect refers to a psychological phenomenon where, even though money, time, and effort invested in the past cannot be recovered, the psychology of "it would be a waste" kicks in, causing one to persist in that investment and continue making irrational decisions.
Hawthorne Effect
The Hawthorne effect refers to a psychological phenomenon where being noticed or observed by others increases motivation to meet expectations, thereby improving work efficiency and performance.
This can also be rephrased as "running the PDCA cycle."
They set a goal with a numerical value(P: Plan)and have the customer take action(D: Do)toward it. Because the goal is clear, it is easy for the customer to take action. Furthermore, they break down the process of the behavior they want the customer to take into minute details, standardize it, and have the trainer accompany the customer in a completely personalized manner.
Precisely because it is completely personalized instruction, they can mandate the submission of regular weight changes and self-taken photos, and have the customer report the contents of three meals a day. Through this, they can quantitatively track weight fluctuations, meal compliance rates, session implementation rates, and so on.
Therefore, they can measure the gap between the plan and actual results for each milestone(C: Check), and if the difference is known, they can choose what kind of measures(A: Action)to take... and that, too, can be selected from a meticulously created manual.
And then they return to(D: Do).
Depending on the situation, it might be necessary to revise the(P: Plan).
The method of committing to results is surprisingly simple.
You just need to fix the goal with a numerical value and take action toward it.
However, if left alone, people do not take action.
The important thing is whether the environment to control that behavior is well-designed.
In other words, committing to results means...
・Setting an achievable goal
・Calculating backward from there to the current location
・Making that path easy to understand
・Using numbers and psychology to encourage action
・Making it easy to improve using a manual
is what it means to help them.