The Boomerang Effect

The boomerang effect happens when you deliver a message hoping to produce a certain response or reaction, but the reaction turns out to be the opposite of what you had hoped it would be.

Some of it stems from a natural desire not to conform. For those who have a stronger natural inclination to assert their autonomy and independence, doing the opposite of what you are asked or told is a way to communicate that you are in control. The boomerang effect is also sometimes called the psychological reactance theory.

• Understand what you are asking: this means understanding your message from the perspective of the audience. And then, it’s creating a targeted and effective message based on that understanding.
• Soften your delivery when the content is tough: If the content is already tough, the delivery needs to be softer.
•  Don’t oversell or overcommunicate. You might think that more communication, more messages, a longer presentation will help you persuade the audience and assure our intended response. Research shows that’s not the case.