Pratfall effect: when imperfection is your road to success

In 1972, Senator George McGovern was in the midst of his presidential campaign. He wasn’t the most charismatic candidate, stiff and serious, he seemed too distant to truly connect with people. But during a press conference, something unexpected happened. While speaking, he took a sip of coffee and immediately spat it out. It was scalding hot. Instead of brushing it off, he laughed and said, "Good Lord, this is hotter than hell!" The room erupted in laughter. Suddenly, McGovern no longer seemed like a stiff politician but a human being.

That small mistake allowed him to connect with the audience in a way no rehearsed speech ever could. It was the magic of imperfection.
The Pratfall Effect: Why We Like People Who Aren't Perfect: In 1966, psychologist Elliot Aronson conducted an experiment that would change our understanding of charisma. He asked participants to observe two types of people:
• A group of highly competent individuals
• A group with average skills
Then, he introduced a twist: some of the highly competent individuals made small mistakes, like spilling coffee on their clothes. The result?
The highly competent people who made small mistakes were perceived as more charismatic and likable. In contrast, those who seemed too perfect created distance. This phenomenon is known as the Pratfall Effect: small mistakes make us more human, relatable, and attractive.
How Mistakes Build Brands and Leaders. Great brands and public figures have used the Pratfall Effect to their advantage. During the 2008 MacBook Air presentation, Jobs was supposed to pull the laptop out of an envelope to showcase its thinness. But for a moment, he couldn’t find the right envelope. He laughed, joked with the audience… and the moment became memorable.
This is where the true power lies: being perceived as human is often more powerful than being perceived as perfect. We don’t connect with unattainable gods; we connect with humans who, every now and then, spill coffee on their shirts.
What role do you think luck plays in your future success?
Humans like to think we are responsible for all our successes and that external factors are usually responsible for our failures. The problem is, until we have a realistic understanding of the role of luck and skill, we’ll miss many opportunities for rapid growth. When something works, but you’re not sure why, there’s gold to be discovered. Instead of attributing success solely to ourselves, it’s worth figuring out which random factors are responsible for the outcomes we desire. If we do this, we can claim them as our own and use them consciously. But beware, this only works if you can admit that your success is accidental in the first place. If you decide to take credit for your success when it’s not entirely yours, you demystify it and bury the true causes.
We must learn to distinguish between our skills and what was luck. If you say, "It’s because I worked so hard" or "It’s because my product is so good," and don’t question what other factors influenced the outcome, your lack of curiosity will close doors to future opportunities. You’ll protect your ego, but in the process, you’ll lose the gold. To accelerate our understanding of reality and our future successes, we must assume that our victories aren’t always due to us, or at least not 100%.
"The key to success is to start before you feel ready." – James Clear
Embrace Mistakes as Opportunities
Remember, like McGovern and Jobs, you don’t have to be perfect. Embrace your imperfections, acknowledge your mistakes, and use them as stepping stones to success. Because sometimes, it’s the moments where we trip that make us memorable.
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Just as Steve Jobs turned a lost envelope into a memorable moment, your next mistake could be the key to your most powerful connection.
Let’s turn your challenges into triumphs. Are you ready to discover your next opportunity for growth?