Distinctionary
The Influential U Distinctionary is an evolving collection of distinctions accompanied by descriptions and examples intended to assist in study and inquiry.
This wiki began in February 2016 and will grow as terms are added, edited, and updated by the founders, leading contributors, and esteemed members. These terms, definitions, and resources will progress as our inquiry and continually changing physical, social, and marketplace environments bring new language to our study, inquiry, and distinctions.
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a
- abstractionA conceptual process by which general rules and concepts are derived from the usage and classification of specific examples, literal ("real" or "concrete") signifiers, first principles, or other methods. "An abstraction" is the product of this process—a concept that acts as a(...)
- accountabilityThe obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner.
- accountingToday, accounting is called "the language of business" because it is the vehicle for reporting financial information about a business entity to many different groups of people. Accounting that concentrates on reporting to people inside the business entity, is called management accounting(...)
- accurate thinkingSufficient evidence to make true or false a proposition. Facts fall into two classes: a) the important and the unimportant and b) the relevant and the irrelevant. Accurate Thinking involves two fundamentals. First, in order for you to think accurately you must separate facts from mere(...)
- action"Simmel characterizes action in the first place as goal-oriented activity, engaged in on behalf of end-states, which we opt for rather than under the pressure of blind impulses or by adapting to established constraints." [as George Sorel puts it] "...action is essentially free activity."(...)
- activityA biological Condition of Life defined by what we do with our mind/body to satisfy all of the Conditions of Life. Activity is what we do with our minds and bodies to take care of and cause our lives. Activity is a constitutive aspect of all Conditions of Life; that is, activity is required(...)
- AdultThe State of Mind demonstrated by those who are responsible for taking care of their needs and wants, however, lacking ambition, they merely respond/concede to offers from others. They They rely on offers from others. They tend to wait to respond to offers and generally react to(...)
- AestheticsThe standards of art and beauty, and its importance to mankind as it gives man a “sense of life.” A transactional Condition of Life; the Condition of our Appreciation of Beauty and Leisure. The 5th branch of philosophy.
- aimTo direct a plan toward a specified object or goal.
- allianceA formal agreement or compliance between two or more entities to cooperate for specific purposes; a merging of efforts or interests by persons, families, states, or organizations; to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like.
- Ambitious AdultAmbitious Adults move purposefully, strategically, and effectively to satisfy their Conditions of Life. They make invitations, requests, offers, judgments, assessments, and assertions that - when accepted - give them the best opportunities to satisfy these unavoidable conditions. They are(...)
- applicationApplication is the act of purposefully and intentionally putting into practice that which we have come to understand. It is at this level we can begin to apply our understanding in ways that allow us to learn how to move and act in accordance with our aims in life. To act effectively, we(...)
- articulateTo express fluently and coherently; to give clarity or distinction to.
- aspectA particular part or feature of a whole As it pertains to transactionalism: The term ‘transaction’ is familiarly used in economics, by which discipline it has been defined as any exchange of goods between two parties, together with the accompanying negotiations. [1] As employed by(...)
- assertionA positive statement or declaration, often made or presented with confidence and/or force; and often made without proof, evidence, support or reason; (claims, allegations - about the existence of a thing.) To Assert is to state with assurance, confidence, or force; state strongly or(...)
- assessmentAssessment is a "condition of transaction" (an unavoidable/inescapable state or situation that exists in every transaction) involving a meaningful estimation of a problem using the pattern of inquiry. Facts to Inquiry The Transactional Phase Assessment is a period of important reflection(...)
- attitudeAn attitude is a way of acting or a manner one assumes (cops) to survive a moment; a position or posture assumed for a specific purpose.
- authorityDirected deference; the tendency to comply with (or trust, defer, or acquiesce) those (things, people or organizations) perceived to have the power, knowledge or seniority to give orders, make decisions, direct or control someone or something. Robert Cialdini and Authority People will tend(...)
- autonomyHaving more help than you require. Most people relate to the notion or idea of autonomy as a condition of individuality, freedom, and total self-reliance – as if one day they will no longer require the help of others and can exist independent of others. This is a false notion. Autonomy(...)
b
- bargainingWorking out the terms and conditions of a transaction with intent to act accordingly.
- Barth Thomas Fredrik Weybye Barth (22 December 1928 – 24 January 2016) was a Norwegian social anthropologist who published several ethnographic books with a clear formalist view. He was a professor in the(...)
- biologicalWe are first and always our biology, which at its most fundamental is essentially a movable body with a brain protected and informed by a central nervous system.
- brand“A singular idea or concept that you own inside the mind of the prospect." - Al Ries
- breakdownA break in action or collapse of function and/or continuance in taking care of an immediate or future concern. A breakdown means that a condition of life, as we know it, is or is about to be out of balance. [1] Adults suffer Substantial Breakdowns when they experience an interruption or(...)
c
- CareerHow we are known for the help and value we offer to a specific ecology. A linguistic Condition of Life; the state or condition of our public identity; the ability and capacity to help; how we are known for what we do with our mind and our body. Career is our marketplace identity. It is how(...)
- carryWhat we are able to handle or grasp mentally or emotionally to manage and expand our capacity to produce surplus or wealth. There is a point in which we can no longer handle/grasp whether mentally/emotionally all there is to manage (distinct from do) and the expansion of this limit can add to(...)
- center of influenceThose people (within their ecologies) that can boost your market access and credibility through referrals, testimonials, and simple word-of-mouth. Everyone is a Center of Influence. A Center of Influence is a person who enjoys an amount of power to transact in the marketplace. Everyone(...)
- CialdiniDr. Robert B. Cialdini, author of Influence: Science and Practice. In the field of influence, one of the most cited living social psychologists in the world today. Influence: Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini, (Fourth or Fifth Edition) Fortune Magazine lists as one of their "75(...)
- co-constitutiveSomething that is reciprocally constructed. All parties in a transaction have the mutual power to enact and establish. Reference MAP SP4, Contracts 101, "Reference and Reminder of Terms and Conditions"
- Co-foundersThe Influence Ecology Co-Founders are John Patterson (CEO) and Kirkland Tibbels (Chairman); founded in 2009 they both reside in Ventura County, California and met in Austin, Texas in 1991. Co-Founder, Kirkland(...)
- cognitive dissonanceThe anxiety that arises when someone has two conflicting (inconsistent) thoughts in mind at the same time. During transactions where acceptance/compliance is sought, consideration is often a symptom of cognitive dissonance and will require a presentation of narratives (or the application(...)
- commitment and consistencyIf people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment because of establishing that idea or goal as being congruent with their self-image. Even if the original incentive or motivation is removed after they have already agreed, they will(...)
- competenceThe knowledge, skill, and ability to act effectively. Competence is a cluster of related abilities, commitments, knowledge, and skills that enable a person (or an organization) to act effectively in a job or situation. Competence indicates sufficiency of knowledge and skills that enable(...)
- competitionRivalry or struggle between two or more organisms to obtain or control limited resources. We study two types of competition: Direct: Competes for specific customers and specific resources. Indirect: Competes for general resources, including The Current.
- completeThe aspect of a transaction in which a judgement is made about the results & consequences of the committed work & action; the move in a transaction between results and assessment.
- compliance To conform, submit, or adapt (as to a regulation or to another's wishes) as coerced, required, or requested. The act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen or to coercion: conformity in fulfilling official requirements.
- compliance practitionersCompliance practitioners are defined in the book Influence: Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini, as those practitioners in our lives whose job is to compel another’s compliance or acceptance of their offers. “Their business is to make us comply, and their livelihoods depend on it.(...)
- concentrationIncreasing the strength, force or efficiency of something by removing the diluting element(s) - the act of focusing the mind on a given intention until ways and means for its realization have been worked out and transacted for. We define concentration as an activity that increases the(...)
- conditionThe state of something, especially with regard to its appearance, quality, or working order. The “the state of something”; the circumstances affecting the way a person lives, works, and behaves; the state of affairs that must exist or be brought about before something else is(...)
- Condition of LifeAn inescapable and unavoidable condition, situation or circumstance that adults must tend to in order to live a happy life. One can ignore [certain] conditions, but ignoring them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Not to mention that some conditions become more or less important or relevant as(...)
- condition of transactionAn immutable, inescapable and unavoidable condition, situation or circumstance that exists in every marketplace transaction. The fundamental Conditions of Transaction studied throughout the discourse and discipline of Influence Ecology education are known as the Moves and Phases of every(...)
- Conditions of LifeThe inescapable and unavoidable conditions, situations or circumstances that adults must tend to in order to live a happy life. One can ignore [certain] conditions, but ignoring them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Not to mention that some conditions become more or less important or relevant(...)
- consequencesThe results of Work and Action. Consequence is a narrative correlated to the phase of the transaction termed Satisfaction Metrics. Consequence is commonly stated about a negative, unwanted, or unpleasant outcome. However, it is used here to signify any outcome of Work and Action. The(...)
- considerationConsideration is a cognitive state caused or effected through Cognitive Dissonance (discomfort caused when one attempts to hold two thoughts in the mind at the same time); heightened when a threat or opportunity in one domain or condition of life conflicts with another.
- contractThe simple objective of every Contract is to enter into an agreement of defined terms and conditions. A Contract is a formal agreement between two or more parties to do or not do something. A contract must contain three elements: Offer Acceptance Consideration Contracts(...)
- contractual interchangeThe act of speaking and listening to produce compliance.
- cooling effectThe effect of reification in transactions; aka - the inductive kick. As transactions reify they move through a cooling off period or a 'cooling' effect. On a deeper level and understood from a view of object-relatedness - objects give human beings a permanence and durability. This(...)
- cooperationThe act of committing to and willingly working with others to produce the functions and results required to achieve specific aims.
- cultureThe name for a set of products, practices, and perspectives realized by individuals in a society, and of which individuals in a society may avail themselves. The man-made aspect of the environment. “Culture is not an individual acquirement,” according to pragmatists theory, instead “it is the(...)
d
- David Allen Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. That’s why David Allen created Getting Things Done®. GTD is the work-life management system that has helped countless individuals and organizations bring order to chaos. GTD enables greater performance, capacity, and innovation. It alleviates(...)
- declarationMaking clearly known, stating or announcing openly or formally.
- deliberate practiceDeliberate Practice is characterized by five essential and necessary elements, which are: Designed specifically to improve performance Repeated a lot Feedback is continuously available Highly demanding mentally, and Not much fun The term "Deliberate Practice" is defined in(...)
- demandA demand is an instruction with specific consequences that will be levied if not fulfilled to term and condition. Demands in Satisfaction Metrics carry a more instructional rigor and ‘lead’ with consequences. They are Presented with the consequences clearly articulated if the terms and(...)
- demonstrateTo clearly show the existence or truth of (something) by giving proof or evidence.
- despairHopelessness or resignation about a future in one or more Conditions of Life. Often we find people who know that they do not have the capacity, knowledge, or ability to change their current situation. Many people in this state of mind are in good spirits and have good attitudes but are(...)
- Dewey John Dewey (October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Dewey is one of(...)
- distanceA concept of separation as in one thing apart from another; the extent or measure of space between two things; (also see otherness; alienation; scarcity).
- distinctionA unique linguistic terminology which marks as different in honor, quality, characteristic, or meaning; differentiating. Here often we will refer to 'a distinction' to refer to a term, principle, or concept that is distinct from other concepts. Distinction, the fundamental philosophical(...)
- distinctionaryAn evolving collection of distinctions accompanied by descriptions and examples intended to assist in study and inquiry. This ‘wiki’ began February 2016 and will grow as terms are added, edited, and updated by the founders, leading contributors, and esteemed members. These terms,(...)
- Domains of TransactionDomains of Transaction: defined as planning, strategy, tactics, and implementation. These domains require cooperation and skill in thinking and acting that is best suited for the personality types you have studied thus far. Each domain offers an expanded view of how the Conditions of(...)
- dualismThe belief or theory of separateness, the fragmentation of reality. For example: that the mind (including the brain) and the body are two distinct and separate things; soul vs. body; mind vs. matter; human vs. environment. [Note: examples are from Phillips, pp.(...)
e
- EBITDAEarnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) equals sales revenue minus cost of goods sold and all expenses except for interest, amortization, depreciation and taxes.
- ecologyThe word ‘ecology’ is defined as the science that deals with the relationships between groups of living things and their environments. The environment shapes you and you shape it; you are in a constant transaction with the environment you build and the environment is in a constant transaction(...)
- economicThe branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth.
- economic actionThe activity required to produce meaningful and valuable exchange.
- economic valueThe worth of a thing established through economic exchange. "...an object acquires economic value insofar as somebody is willing to sacrifice control over another object in order to gain control over the former. 'That a thing is worth something in purely economic terms, means... it is worth(...)
- educationA linguistic Condition of Life; the Condition of our specialized knowledge. Education is specialized knowledge gained from the reconstruction and reorganization of experience in the process of satisfying our Conditions of Life. We learn and become capable and competent to move beyond our(...)
- effectiveAn agent is assessed to be effective based on it's results, generally measured against some target, objective or aim.
- efficientAn agent is assessed to be efficient when the agent makes the best possible use resources, and experience available at the time.
- egalitarianA person who accepts or believe that all Men are equal and deserving of equal rights and treatment by society.
- embodyThe ability to correlate, associate, and connect specialized knowledge in one domain to other domains is the kind of learning that allows for highly valuable, scarce, and recurrent marketplace transactions. To embody knowledge is to reach a level of learning that allows for the association of(...)
- entityA thing with distinct and independent existence As it pertains to transactionalism: Viewed in its philosophical dimension, transaction denotes a reciprocal relationship between that which acts and that which is acted upon. In this relationship, both become united for the moment in a mutual(...)
- environmentEnvironment is the aggregate of surrounding things that intermediate the execution of human activities.
- EpistemologyA basic branch of philosophy that deals with the theory of knowledge; what is knowing.
- ethical statement Ethical Statement for the Conditions of Life Ethics are a code of conduct, standards or set of principles by which people live. Given that we cannot act a thing we cannot articulate, it is important to consider the articulation of your ethics. An Ethical Statement for a Condition of(...)
- ethicsA central branch of philosophy that inquires into the code of values or virtues that guide human behavior in order to survive and live a good life. What are the concerns of human life and how ought we behave in satisfying them? Ethical Statement for the Conditions of Life Ethics are a(...)
- evidenceSomething that lays the groundwork for the belief or disbelief of something.
- exchangeTo relinquish or sacrifice one thing for another. Exchange occurs when two things, under the control of different individuals or forces, surrender that which is under their control for the other. Exchange takes place typically when two things in question are under the control of two different(...)
- ExistentialismA philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will.
f
- factA currently accepted judgment. "What happened and is happening." For example, the Earth being flat was, at one time, a fact, however, it is no longer accepted or "happening." Fact as characterized by John Dewey: through inquiry, “knowledge in full – the knowings-knowns as they come:(...)
- Financial IntelligenceJoe Knight and Karen Berman are the co-authors of Finance Intelligence: A Managers Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean. Companies expect managers to use financial data to allocate resources and run their departments. But many managers can't read a balance sheet, wouldn't recognize(...)
- fitnessThe quality of being suitable to fulfill a particular role, task, or transaction : An organism’s ability to survive, reproduce, and thrive in a particular environment, condition, or transaction.
- focusThe activity of singular deliberation; a central or single point, activity or attention. Focus brings into view the specifics required to identify a subject. Transactionally speaking, what we must be ‘bring into view’ (and give identity to) is the specific work and action required to reach(...)
- fulfillFULFILL – [Produce/Request] The simple objective of Fulfill is to satisfy the terms and conditions of the Contract. All transactions include the keeping of promises made and accepted. This is accomplished by effectively making requests of others to keep their promises. This is the(...)
g
- general knowledgeThe knowledge one must demonstrate to evidence general fitness in a transaction. General Knowledge, no matter how great in quantity or variety it may be, is of but little use in the accumulation of money. The faculties of the great universities possess, in the aggregate, practically every(...)
- Gerber Author of the E-Myth series, Michael E. Gerber (born June 20, 1936) is an American author and founder of Michael E. Gerber Companies, a business skills training company based in Carlsbad, California.
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- habitA usual way of behaving: something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way.
- healthA biological Condition of Life. The condition of our biology.
- higher ecologyPeople (centers of influence) who are ‘known’ in a social group or ‘ecology’ who are beneficial to you if they accepted your invitations, offers and requests. A ‘higher ecology’ is a social construct, (group, network, etc) that includes all aspects of its existence including the(...)
- homeostasisThe property of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition.
i
- IdentityYour identity is built as a narrative in the mind of others. It includes narratives about the condition of our character as to who we are; our value, qualities, ethics, beliefs, help, etc. Identity is not what we say it is; identity is what others say it is. Your identity is first formed(...)
- indifferenceA lack of interest in or concern about something. A form of naivete we identify as common to adult or young adult transactional behavior. The Indifference Principle in Economics states: People are indifferent to what combination of goods or services they purchase if they are perceived to(...)
- inductive kickThe effect of reification in transactions; aka - the cooling effect. As transactions reify they move through a cooling off period or a 'cooling' effect. On a deeper level and understood from a view of object-relatedness - objects give human beings a permanence and durability. This(...)
- influenceThe capacity or power of persons, things, or environments to produce effects on the actions, behavior, narratives, etc., of others.
- influence ecologyAn abstract concept for the reciprocal, co-constitutive relationship inherent in an organism/environment; a specific and specialized transaction built for immersive consequence. We are organisms within the environments we influence and are in turn influenced by the environments we cannot(...)
- innovationInnovation: An evolved or modified transaction reifying or redistributing value, resources, and activity. Innovation is an evolved or modified transaction (which includes exchanges, environments, objects, narratives, etc.) that reifies (makes something abstract more concrete and real)(...)
- inquiryTo question; seek information, knowledge or truth about a given subject or situation. John Dewey defines inquiry as: “The controlled or directed transformation of an indeterminate situation into one that is so determinate in its constituent distinctions and relations as to convert the(...)
- inventIn a transaction, the first move you must make to invent a solution to take care of a breakdown that is immediate, pending, or anticipated – known or unknown and do so with the principle of indifference in mind. This move requires the use of declaration – which is the linguistic expression(...)
- inventoryThe aggregate of resources : The act or process of making a complete list of the resources or things that are in a place, situation, or circumstance.
- invitationAn Invitation is a form of an offer that is extended to a specific customer where the result is the acceptance or the decline to hear (attend/receive) a formal Presentation. It is often an open-ended offer from one party to another for their consideration to find out more about an(...)
j
- John PattersonThe Influence Ecology Co-Founders are John Patterson (CEO) and Kirkland Tibbels (Chairman); founded in 2009 they both reside in Ventura County, California and met in Austin, Texas in 1991. Co-Founder, John(...)
- judgmentAuthoritative opinions in the form of narratives that people hold about the current facts of a given situation or transaction. "Sound judgments" are made of qualified authorities or parties to a transaction after arriving at the facts, but prior to assessing the transaction for the future.
k
- Kirkland TibbelsThe Influence Ecology Co-Founders are John Patterson (CEO) and Kirkland Tibbels (Chairman); founded in 2009 they both reside in Ventura County, California and met in Austin, Texas in 1991. Co-Founder, Kirkland(...)
- knowingA biological Condition of Life; a series of organizing acts [John Dewey]. Knowing is an activity of ordering expressing itself in judgments of fact. Knowing is a matter of determining what is the case. Knowing is the ordering activity referring to the subject evaluating and dealing with the(...)
- knowledgeA mental grasp of the facts of reality, reached by perceptual observation or by a process of reason based on perceptual observation. [Rand] Knowledge is wholly oriented towards future consequences; it draws its validity only from "its relationship with its own product;" it goes essentially(...)
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- laborThe activity in which one must undertake to survive. The activity in which one must engage in order to satisfy biological Conditions of Life.
- leadershipLeadership is a social phenomenon that emerges in and as a result of a group dynamic. Leadership emerges in groups. It is a purely social phenomenon and it is a useless exercise indeed to consider the idea and/or event called leadership as something that can exist in any other context or(...)
- learnTo gain or acquire knowledge of or skill in (something) by study, experience, or being taught. This is related to Education: A linguistic Condition of Life; the Condition of our specialized knowledge. Education is specialized knowledge gained from the reconstruction and reorganization of(...)
- legacyThe condition of our contribution of help to others
- levers of influenceCialdini's fundamental psychological principles that direct human behavior and compliance. Levers of Influence Reciprocity – People tend to return a favor, thus the pervasiveness of free samples in marketing. In his conferences, he often uses the example of Ethiopia providing thousands(...)
- likingPeople are easily persuaded by other people or organizations that they like. This bias is swayed by similarity, attractiveness, and group identification. Robert Cialdini Liking is one of the six principle theories of influence and persuasion coined by Robert Cialdini. These principles(...)
- linguisticOf or relating to language. Human beings are subjective creatures with the ability to reason and communicate through language. Language gives us access to value, perception, meaning, et al. Language is the source of all work and action. If you can’t say it, you can’t do it.
m
- mechanicsThe practical application of mechanics to the design, construction, or operation of functional details or procedures. The Mechanics and Practice Program is a focused study in the mechanics of each Condition of Transaction.
- memeA meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture. A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena with a(...)
- metaphysicsA basic branch of philosophy that inquires into what is real. Metaphysics - studies the nature of the universe as a whole; existence and the nature of existence. It is an inquiry into what is real or what reality is; A branch of philosophic study - metaphysics is the study the nature of the(...)
- methodologyA system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity. Our methodology concentrates on the knowledge, mechanics, and practices required to produce a satisfying career and income. While most people struggle with the complexities of modern life and failing economies, our(...)
- moneyA linguistic Condition of Life defined as the state or condition of our ability to participate in social exchange (economic action). Money is help. Money is a tool of meaningful exchange. Money, as a Condition of Life, is the state or condition of our ability to transact; the measure(...)
- moodA mood is a biological reaction or response triggered by a story about 'a future' in a Condition of Life.
- moveThe term used to identify the primary state, act or aspect of a transaction known as invent, present, fulfill, and complete; to change or cause to change from one primary state within a transaction to another. For example, in the transition between the moves ‘present’ and ‘fulfill’, the(...)
n
- naiveteIgnorance, innocence, arrogance or conceit about the knowledge required to affect a Condition of Life. The most common state of mind is naivete. We locate people in this state when we assess that they simply do not have the understanding or knowledge of the marketplace, but behave and speak(...)
- Nicholas A. Christakis Nicholas Christakis' work examines the biological, psychological, sociological, and mathematical rules that govern how we form these social networks and the rules that govern how they shape our lives. His work shows how phenomena as diverse as obesity, smoking, emotions, ideas, germs, and(...)
o
- objectAn object is to be characterized as a thing or subjectmatter constructed and ordered in settled form toward which specific action is directed. We arrived at the characterization as a thing or product through the common definition found in most dictionaries and other common references. The(...)
- obsolescenceThe process of being made obsolete by someone else inventing a more compelling transaction.
- offerTo present something to someone to accept, decline, or counter-offer as so desired. Offers are typically made during the presentation stage of a transaction cycle. We present an offer that if accepted, goes into contract or commitment. That being said, we can also offer measures,(...)
- opinionUn-grounded assessment or judgement. A view or belief resting on insufficient evidence or proof. Benjamin Franklin said that "opinions should be judged by their influences and effects" - therefore we hold that though everyone may be entitled to their opinions, they are not without(...)
p
- phaseThe term used to identify the aspect of a transaction we refer to as invite, contract, satisfaction metrics, and assess; the distinct transition period or stage between moves in a transaction. For example, in the transition between the moves ‘present’ and ‘fulfill’, the transaction(...)
- PhillipsDr. Phillips is the author of Transactionalism: An Historic and Interpretive Study. Trevor J. Phillips submitted this doctoral dissertation May 1966 in Bowling Green, Ohio. Acquired, published, and edited by Influence Ecology in 2013, with a foreword by co-founder Kirkland Tibbels, edited(...)
- philosophyThe foundation of knowledge. The standard by which ideas are incorporated into one’s current existence (individuality) and understood. The study of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life. When faced with the question about who should study or care at all about(...)
- plan The articulation of a course of action one must take to satisfy an aim.
- planningThe activity required to produce a plan. The two Personalities best suited for planning: Judge Inventor The three activities in planning: Inquiry (assessment) Inventory (evaluation and resources) Invention (Insights/Innovation)
- PodcastA podcast is an episodic series of digital media files which a user can set up so that new episodes are automatically downloaded via web syndication to the user's own local computer or portable media player. See the Influence Ecology Podcast
- politicsA branch of philosophy that deals with the study of society and how mankind should govern. The 4th branch of philosophy. Politics is concerned with the legitimate exercise of power, i.e. government/organizations. It therefore concerns the relationship between the state (authority) and(...)
- Polybius(/pəˈlɪbiəs/; Greek: c. 200 – c. 118 BC) A Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his work, The Histories, which covered the period of 264–146 BC in detail.
- powerOrganized action or effort. Power, as the term is used here, refers to organized effort, sufficient to enable an individual to transmute desire into its monetary equivalent. Organized effort is produced through the coordination of effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite(...)
- practical knowledgeThe knowledge that is instinctual, biological, historical and authentic to one’s personality and transactional behavior.
- practiceThe application of an idea, method, or belief as opposed to theories about such application or use. Every transaction consists of both subjective and objective elements. As transactions are being conceived, researched, and planned, they rely on subjective concepts, assumption, and(...)
- practicesUnits of reciprocal behavior informed by mutual recognition of shared intentions, [commitments,] and beliefs. [1] Individuals hold roles in organized collectives. Roles are, as you recall “made of . . . practices.”[v] Another take on the term, according to sociologist Andrew Pickering, is(...)
- pragmaticDealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations. See also Pragmatism
- PragmatismA philosophical tradition began in the United States around 1870, generally ascribe to be founded by Charles Sanders Peirce. Pragmatism rejects the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. Instead, pragmatists consider thought an instrument or tool for(...)
- presentPRESENT – [Perform / Promise] The presentation of every transaction is a performance. All transactions must be presented/performed to prospective customers. The content of the presentation consists of: the declaration to satisfy a substantial breakdown in a specific ecology the(...)
- programA series of lectures and/or study material dealing with a specific subject; a series of such courses constituting a curriculum.
- proofThe cogency of evidence that compels acceptance by the mind of a truth or a fact : establishing the validity of a statement especially by derivation from other statements in accordance with principles of reasoning. Related Words prove
- proveTo establish the existence, truth, or validity of (as by evidence or logic): to demonstrate as having a particular quality or worth. Related Words proof
- psychological reactanceThe second distinction we study is based on the Psychological Reactance theory developed by psychologist Jack Brehm to explain the human response to diminishing personal control. As we have learned, this theory states that whenever a free choice is limited or threatened, the need to retain our(...)
r
- RateyDr. John J. Ratey is author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain; a clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Best selling author, John J. Ratey, MD, is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an(...)
- reciprocalA relationship in which two people or groups agree to do something similar for each other, to allow each other to have the same rights, etc. People tend to return a favor, gift, or deed. e.g., You scratch my back; I'll scratch yours (conversely, you hurt me, I'll hurt you). Robert(...)
- reciprocityPeople tend to return a favor, gift, or deed. e.g., You scratch my back; I'll scratch yours (conversely, you hurt me, I'll hurt you) Robert Cialdini Reciprocity is one of the six principle theories of influence and persuasion coined by Robert Cialdini. These principles include reciprocity,(...)
- reifyTo convert into or regard as a concrete thing.
- reinventionIn Step Thirteen we Plan for Reinvention. Reinvention is the action or process through which a transaction, upon assessment, is modified to better serve the aims of that transaction. The action or process for Reinvention must be planned during the Invention of the entire transaction—in(...)
- relationshipA linguistic Condition of Life; the Condition of our ability/capacity to give and accept care/love.
- resourcesThe limited inventory of cash, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively. Three main types of resources: Human Tangible Intangible The types of inventory are: Human Financial Physical (...)
- Ridley Matt Ridley’s latest book is The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves. It argues that the world is getting better not worse and that exchange and specialisation are the keys to human history. His books(...)
- RiesAl Ries is author of Focus The Future Of Your Company Depends On It. Ries is a legendary branding strategist, bestselling author and originator of the concept of Positioning. In 1972, Al co-authored the now infamous three-part series of articles declaring the arrival of the Positioning Era(...)
- roteWe say that a participant begins the process of learning when they can hold specific information presented as a new concept. To hold it is to be able to recall and repeat it, which requires some exercise in the domain of memory.
- Roy F. Baumeister Roy F. Baumeister is one of the world’s most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published well over 500 scientific articles and more than 30 books. In 2013, he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow award, in(...)
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- MeasureThe statistical results and consequences of measured work and action. The phase in a transaction that occurs between Fulfill and Complete. Transactional competence requires the integration of knowing and action. Through action, assumptions are validated or modified; without action(...)
- scarcityThings are more valuable when they are less available; a resource is perceived to have limited supply. The scarcity principle offers two approaches. One is the limited approach, and the other is the deadline approach. The deadline approach works because it puts an official time limit on(...)
- self-actualizationThis term, as a Condition of Life, is termed "Spirituality/SA" or "Spirituality/Self-Actualization" as defined by Influence Ecology wholly expressed means: The Condition of Unconditionality. That being said, Self-actualization, is found in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, as the highest level of(...)
- single-actionProductivity specialist David Allen teaches that a project is any desired result that requires more than one action step. “This means that some rather small things that you might not normally call projects are going to need to be paired down or reduced to a single action in the process of(...)
- social proofPeople will do things that they see other people are doing. For example, in one experiment, one or more confederates would look up into the sky; bystanders would then look up into the sky to see what they were seeing. At one point this experiment aborted, as so many people were looking up(...)
- socialityA linguistic Condition of Life defined as functioning among others. The condition of our ability and capacity to function among others. Sociality means ‘group living.’ The formulation of any general theory of social behavior begins with a description of the selective forces causing and(...)
- specialized knowledgeThe specialized knowledge one must demonstrate to evidence unique fitness in a transaction; more valuable, scarce, and hard to find and [difficult to] attain. Specialized Knowledge is more valuable, scarce, hard to find and [difficult to] attain. Before you can be sure of your ability to(...)
- specificClearly and exactly presented or stated; relating to a particular person, situation, etc.
- specific ecologyA specific ecology is a group of people who share the same breakdown, are large enough to satisfy your aims for money and small enough to be reached at low cost.[1] Transactions must be built and specific transaction cycles invented to care for the individuals in a group of people who are(...)
- specifyTo state a fact or requirement clearly and precisely.
- spiritualityThe Condition of Unconditionality This term, as a Condition of Life, is termed "Spirituality/SA" or "Spirituality/Self-Actualization" as defined by Influence Ecology.
- state of mindThe state or condition of one's thinking or knowing. Here we recognize four primary states - despair, naivete, adult, and ambitious adult. Generally speaking, one's state of mind is conditioned and given by one or more circumstances or situations that produce a narrative regarding a(...)
- strategic thinkingThe generation of insights and ideas for how to allocate, commit, and deploy resources.
- strategyA Domain of Transaction; method, approach or design for allocation, commitment and deployment of resources, expressed through a set of focused transactions to achieve a personal or enterprise plan. Powerful and effective strategy is structured as a set of unique, distinct, and highly(...)
- studyA practice that involves reading, re-reading, reflecting, looking up words, speaking sentences aloud, conversing with others, as well as using diagrams, charts, and visuals to help to bring these concepts to the activity of your daily work. Reading important distinctions many times is(...)
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- tacticThe articulation of ordered and specific work. A tactic isn't work, it is the linguistic frontrunner to work and action. The goal for every tactic we construct is simplicity. A simple transaction is any transaction where only one exchange is required to complete a transaction(...)
- the CurrentThe all-pervasive, popular, and predominant narratives of any ecology that is accepted and acted upon. These are the narratives on which most of the invitations and offers that are extended to us are based. It is a seductive fantasy that reinforces the pervasive state of mind we describe as(...)
- thirteen stepsA core concept of our curriculum used to guide the building of any successful transaction to satisfy aims in any or all Conditions of Life. The Thirteen Steps offers a roadmap to think accurately about the construction of the simple or complex transactions that wholly satisfy your aims. The(...)
- transactionA creative act, engaged in by one who, by virtue of his participation in the act – of which he is always an aspect, never an entity – together with the other participants, be they human or otherwise environmental, becomes in the process modified. [1] A communicative action or activity(...)
- transaction cycleA series of exchanges that occur at specific intervals in a cycle intended to produce a successful transaction.
- transactionalHuman beings are goal-seeking, tool-making, social animals who's survival depends on collaboration, exchange, and specialization. We are transactional, which at its core means we must coexist to survive. Given this assertion, it becomes apparent and important to understand that the(...)
- transactional behaviorThe behavior of an individual (or specific ecology) demonstrated in the process of transacting; b.) F. Barth defines 'transactional behavior as "sequences of interaction systematically governed by reciprocity."
- Transactional Competence We teach Transactional Competence: The knowledge and skill required to invent, present, fulfill and complete specific exchanges from a transactional approach. The approach is(...)
- TransactionalismTransactionalism (Philosophy) A philosophical approach that emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between that which acts and that which is acted upon, a relationship which "asserts the right to see together much that is talked about conventionally as if it were composed of irreconcilable(...)
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- understandingUnderstanding is thinking. When we think, we attempt to construct narratives for how what we are learning applies to our lives. Said another way, we think in narratives. We think in stories about our lives. Once we can hold and recall that which is presented to us, we can then begin to(...)
- unityCialdini's fundamental psychological principles that direct human behavior and compliance. Lever of Influence: Unity – the shared identity that the influencer shares with the influencee. Thirty years after publishing his 6 principles of persuasion, Cialdini came up with the seventh: unity.(...)
- utilityThe usefulness of a thing; the capacity of a thing or commodity to satisfy. Alfred Marshall's law of diminishing utility: “During the course of consumption, as more and more units of a commodity are used, every successive unit gives utility with a diminishing rate, provided other things(...)
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- valueRelative worth - constituted through utility and scarcity and demonstrated through other relative characteristics. [John Dewey] Value is not given in advance to the evaluating act, it will not be determined except by the judgment itself. As long as I deliberate, the value remains(...)
- value characteristicThe traits and qualities that demonstrate the value of a thing. Examples of Value Characteristics we study: Proprietary Technology Network Effect Economies of Scale Branding Weapons of Influence 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing/Focus
- value disciplineA highly focused context for strategic thinking that concentrates efforts and deploys resources toward only one approach to market value; this approach is resource dependent and shapes the strategies and tactics of marketplace value and differentiation. Our work on crafting strategies deals(...)
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- levers of influenceCialdini's fundamental psychological principles that direct human behavior and compliance. Levers of Influence Reciprocity – People tend to return a favor, thus the pervasiveness of free samples in marketing. In his conferences, he often uses the example of Ethiopia providing thousands(...)
- wikiA website that allows collaborative editing of its content by its users. Add new terms or edits to this Distinctionary.
- workA biological Condition of Life defined by what we do with our mind/body to satisfy all of the Conditions of Life. Work is what we do with our mind and our body to take care of and cause our lives. Work is a constitutive aspect of all Conditions of Life, that is, work is required to produce(...)
- workingThe activity of fulfillment and production — building and fabricating — producing something as you have come to learn in the study of the transaction cycle.
- worthA measurement of someone's willingness to exchange or give up one thing for another.
