Akkam’s Razor

So I decided on Glengarry Glenn Ross [IMDB, Wiki].  The film was originally a David Mamet play subsequently turned into a movie.  The title refers to two investment properties mentioned in the film - Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms.

Pretty rich film, when you get down to it.  Incredibly obscene, it was referred to by the cast as "Death of a F*cking Salesman". 

The clip is set in a Real Estate office with tired, gray men, on a miserably rainy evening.  Alec Baldwin's character, Blake (coincidentally, acting in a part that was originally written for fellow co-star Al Pacino) comes in to 'motivate' the sales staff. 

Baldwin's Blake comes on like a verbal mugging,  immediately asserting his dominance and power.  He crudely but effectively demonstrates a personal power base by alluding to a reputation of effectiveness in retail sales and also  stating that he has allies 'downtown' with the bosses, namely "Mitch and Murray".  He also demonstrates his positional power by way of anecdotal performance as well as 'coaching' to the core comptency (ABC, AIDA) of sales.

As is typical in sales, it his his personal characteristics that dominate the scene (as well as likely fueling his success in sales).  He is rude, coarse, vain, demeaning, and dominating.

In demonstrating his social power, he demonstrates the rewards of achievement, as in his income, the car, and the watch.  The coercion factor (as well as the linking of severe penalties for coming in third and lower in the sales competition in concert with the reward factor (the winning of a Cadillac) is used over the sales staff.  He demonstrates his legitimacy by mentioning the owners, the leads, and his reasons for being there, as a favor to Mitch and Murray.  His boasting and achievements convey a sense of expert status in the achievement of his goals.

Although Blake is clearly using fear to motivate the sales staff, he is also employing some of Cialdini's principles of influence, although unfortunately in a less than ethical manner.  There is no visual sense of reciprocity, as Blake offers no services, information, or concessions. 

He does however use the element of scarcity, particularly in the temptation of the 'good leads', which the sales staff has not yet earned.  He selectively employs the principle of authority, although not from a positive frame. 

His showing of professionalism might make the customer squeamish, however, the bravado, confidence, and aggressiveness is often seen as the mark of a high potential achiever when it comes to sales.

He demonstrates his credentials via his achievements, notable in his material goods and boasts.  He most certainly does not admit any weaknesses.  Blake is consistent in his threats, laying out the risk and rewards, and illustrating that success and failure are the results of individual choices. 

He shows no interest in making friends or influencing people, choosing instead to belittle and demean, with the knowledge that his audience would either aspire to his achievements or perform based on fear.  He is not looking for cooperation, only competition and survival of the fittest.

The consensus at the end of the clip is one of shell-shocked silence; In created an atmosphere of fear, Blake appears to succeed.