Literature and OB!

What has literature & drama got to do with Organization Behavior ? By my guess, plenty. They are facets of life played out on different stages.

Isn't all life a drama and all of us actors of one hue or another?

The 1964 film, My Fair Lady is a case in point.

My Fair Lady (1964), a film version of the musical starring Audrey Hepburn as "Eliza" and Rex Harrison as "Higgins", is loosely based on George Bernard Shaw's classic, drama, 'Pygmalion' ( 1913).

What does it deal with- Higgins, a professor, full of himself, is firmly of the opinion that he can pick up a poor flower girl, train her to speak with an upper class accent & pass her off as nobility, in all of six months.

While Eliza, the girl, does wonderfully well & makes the transition, Higgins is surprised, that only in his presence does she slip back to her old cockney accent.

Eliza later says that, because Higgins treats her like a flower girl, she behaves like one, before walking out on the very much in love Higgins !

The concept has been developed into a full blown OB theory & the Pygmalion Effect, is a captivating model which makes a lot of sense. I think all managers must reflect and set a high enough bar for their subordinates, guiding them to get there. If you assume, that your staff, are going to fail, be certain that they will not disappoint you & fail they will.

As for the film, I watched it in the 1980's, and loved it, much to the amusement of my friends who thought me rather quaint in watching romantic flicks that seem to go nowhere.

I, always the die hard romantic, worried for a quite a while, as to why, Eliza & the Professor, could not reach a rapprochement and live life happily ever after. With time & age I've realized, that it was best, that it ended the way it did.Though the, pretty cockney accented flower girl and the sauve professor do make a handsome couple.

As an OB concept, I'm a great believer in the Pygmalion Effect and as for the movie, one of my all time favourites! As for the songs, amazing..