Five Reasons to Read this Article

That got your attention, didn't it? Quite a teaser title, grabbing your attention and compelling you to at least read the opening paragraph. And that of course is the reason that blog and article authors use and over-use this tactic. It's a hook that dangles a quick fix answer in front of your nose. You can lose weight, increase sales, get a new job, manage your boss and cure cancer - all by condensing previously secret solutions down to a few simple steps.

Who Can Resist the Lure?

In our own field of Compensation this basic check mark tactic is in full bloom, with repeated examples diluting the complexity of every problem and human factor issue while offering simplistic solutions that in all truthfulness should be obvious answers to most. How often are those suggested quick steps little more than common sense actions, and have you the reader muttering, "Of course"? And there perhaps lies the rub. What you gain from these "steps" is often less gems of wisdom than a condensed rehash of what you already know, only now formatted with a compelling lure.

By comparison, most workplace problems have a great deal more moving parts, greater complexities and more risks associated with wrong moves than would be suggested by a short "just follow these steps" inducement. Where most compensation practitioners work there is no EASY button to push.

Real-solution articles are more complex to write, require more words to explain themselves and may suffer lack of attention from a "don't have the time" audience. Plus, how many situations have a one-size-fits-all answer to begin with?

Then again, perhaps a bit of silver lining can be considered for those using the list of steps as check marks for their own activities, sort of as a reminder to buy the milk, take out the garbage, feed the cat, etc. Not rocket science, but a convenient to-do list reminder. Whenever you are undertaking a major project, having a project plan that includes a list of necessary activities could be a useful tactic to keep things on track and on time.

You Can't Take the Chance

We are helpless though, to resist the step-by-step quick-fix hook, perhaps out of fear that we might be missing the solution to the Gordian Knot, the Rosetta Stone or perhaps from finding the lost city of Atlantis. That promised quick fix answer to our most frustrating challenge, the one that has seemed just out of reach for so long - might be right here in front of us, miraculously, and all dumbed down to make it seem so simple. All we must do is read this article, blog post or link to another website. It's like taking a magic diet pill, isn't it?

Oh, and the five reasons I teased you with at the start? Let's see:

• Bullet points are easier to remember than paragraphs
• You will better remember a short list of key points later, perhaps at a meeting where you will come across as knowledgeable
• Remembering a series of 1-2-3 steps will gain you instant credibility outside your functional circle
• There is less risk of challenge to bullet points than for longer explanatory text
• The author can prepare an article or posting faster this way

And in case you haven't guessed it by the above, yes, the number of steps, reasons, causes, etc. is usually a made-up affair. Many authors first decide on the number, then back into creating the bullet points.

It's all about getting you to read their stuff.

But that would be a 6th reason.