The Four Ps
People use the four Ps tool as a way of developing a clearer understanding about their own attitude in any given situation. It is a simple tool to use but one that people seem to find really helpful as a way of codifying and legitimising how they are feeling, and therefore better able to own and describe their mindset. It also helps people notice whether they are getting stuck in a dominating attitude over time, which in turns can lead to a personal breakthrough.
This is a challenger tool I learned when I joined Relume; thanks to Khurshed and Claire for teaching me it. It was actually the Three Ps when I Iearned it and I added the fourth (performer) after a few years of practice. I often use it in the early stages of working with individuals and particularly teams. Not only does it break the ice in terms of allowing people to feel validated for how they are feeling but also the language of the four Ps often becomes part of the cultural vocabulary.
I usually explain the four Ps first, using contextually appropriate examples and plenty of dramatic licence!
Passenger
You are relaxed and content. The action is going on elsewhere and you have a great view of it. Any instructions, action, change etc going on are not intended for you. Certainly you are not going to be overly impacted by anything going on around you. You are happy to just let it all occur with as little input from you as possible so that you can enjoy the ride.
Prisoner
You are angry/frustrated/sad/afraid and trapped. You don’t want to be part of this. You are taking part against your will. You would rather be anywhere else than here right now and may even be working on an escape plan. You might be simmering quietly, participating through gritted teeth or actively sabotaging.
Performer
You are keen to impress. Fitting in or looking good is the most important thing. It’s not helpful to say what’s really on your mind because it won’t be welcomed. You make sure you look like you are participating but it’s more for show than for real. It doesn’t feel safe to be fully you here. You are hiding something.
Participant
You are fully immersed in the task at hand. You are present, open and wholehearted. You want to be here and you want to take part fully. For the period of the task at hand the rest of the world is paused as your mind focuses fully.
I then usually ask a question like “Turn your attention to the last 30 minutes of time. Which of these states of mind, and it could be several, have you been experiencing in that time?” If it’s a team or a group I often ask them to sit in quiet reflection for a few minutes with this question, and then encourage sharing in a way that validates and doesn’t judge anything that’s offered.
The way these states are described it appears that the first three are failings and the fourth a virtue. That is the first trap to avoid falling into. So it is worth stressing a few things:
These are all legitimate states of mind
It takes self-awareness to identify, courage to own and even more courage to share
If we had an app that could measure them we would realise we all occupy each of these states more often than we imagine
The app would also show how quickly we can transition between states, as well as how long we can spend in one without realising it
Each state is designed to keep us safe
Being a participant the whole time would be undesirably tiring
The hardest thing to declare is a performer state of mind as the performer would say they are a participant
Listening attentively is participation.
The value in the tool is two-fold. Firstly to be able to recognise our attitude in the moment and then do something (or not) with that insight. Secondly to notice over time whether we are spending longer than is healthy in any of the first three, and therefore need to consider some changes
It’s often enough to introduce this tool and then just have it as a reference point for future work. Normally though it prompts some helpful conversation. Firstly it encourages people to speak their truth, knowing that they won’t be judged but that it will be in service of the work. Secondly people get to know they are not the only one - always helpful. Thirdly it role models dialogue more than debate. And fourthly it can lead into an enquiry about what might be going on that’s causing these states.
Some helpful questions might be:
What are you noticing right now as I’m describing this to you?
Looking back, what states did you experience earlier today/yesterday?
What is causing the state you are experiencing?
If you had 100% of your waking time to be allocated across the four Ps, how much would each get in a normal day?
For passenger state – what would it take for you to get out of the stands and on to the pitch?
For prisoner state – what would need to happen for you to want to be here?
For performer state – how can we get to see the real you?
Finally, a couple of tips. Firstly, the key to this is finding the right tone in the use of the tool. It needs to be light without being frivolous, serious but fun. Secondly, in case it is not obvious, people might continue to use this tool in the state of mind they are in. So passengers will not contribute, prisoners may say the tool is a waste of time, and performers will insist they are participants. It’s just worth looking out for this and perhaps even naming it as part of the fun.