Tactic 52 of 99
The Identity Tag
Give them a reputation to live up to and they’ll fight to keep it.
What it is
You assign someone a positive trait in advance, and they work to live up to it. This is the labeling technique, rooted in Daryl Bem’s self-perception theory: we act in line with how we’re described. It is related to the Pygmalion effect studied by Rosenthal and Jacobson, though how big that effect is remains debated.
Spot it
Flattering labels followed by requests that “someone like you” would surely agree to. When “you’re so reliable” always arrives attached to extra work.
Counter it
You can be that person and say no. Turn the label into your reason: “I am reliable. That’s exactly why I don’t take on what I can’t do well.”