Walking the Walk (Costly Signaling)
Demonstrating willingness to act on one's beliefs, especially through costly or risky actions, builds credibility and respect. It contrasts with cheap signaling, which involves low-cost expressions that lack commitment.
THE IDEA
On Walking Walks
My ethos was shaped when, at fifteen, I was put in jail for (allegedly) attacking a policeman with a slab of concrete during a student riot—an incident with strange ramifications since my grandfather was then the minister of the interior, and the person who signed the order to crush our revolt. One of the rioters was shot dead when a policeman who had been hit on the head with a stone panicked and randomly opened fire on us. I recall being at the center of the riot, and feeling a huge satisfaction upon my capture while my friends were scared of both prison and their parents. We frightened the government so much that we were granted amnesty.
There were some obvious benefits in showing one’s ability to act on one’s opinions, and not compromising an inch to avoid “offending” or bothering others. I was in a state of rage and didn’t care what my parents (and grandfather) thought of me. This made them quite scared of me, so I could not afford to back down, or even blink. Had I concealed my participation in the riot (as many friends did) and been discovered, instead of being openly defiant, I am certain that I would have been treated as a black sheep. It is one thing to be cosmetically defiant of authority by wearing unconventional clothes—what social scientists and economists call “cheap signaling”—and another to prove willingness to translate belief into action.
My paternal uncle was not too bothered by my political ideas (these come and go); he was outraged that I used them as an excuse to dress sloppily. To him, inelegance on the part of a close family member was the mortal offense.
Public knowledge of my capture had another major benefit: it allowed me to avoid the usual outward signs of teenage rebellion. I discovered that it is much more effective to act like a nice guy and be “reasonable” if you prove willing to go beyond just verbiage. You can afford to be compassionate, lax, and courteous if, once in a while, when it is least expected of you, but completely justified, you sue someone, or savage an enemy, just to show that you can walk the walk.
When to use it
A manager who occasionally takes a strong stance on a principle, showing willingness to make personal sacrifices, can then be more lenient in other areas without losing authority.
In negotiations, making a public commitment to a position (e.g., promising not to go below a certain price) can be a costly signal that locks in credibility.
In personal branding, being known for following through on your word, even when it hurts, builds long-term trust and differentiates you from those who only talk.
When introducing a new policy, a leader can demonstrate commitment by personally adopting the most burdensome part first, signaling that the change is serious.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Student Riot and Open Defiance
The author describes being jailed after a student riot. By openly participating and not hiding his actions, he gained a reputation that made others (including his family) fear him, enabling him to later be compassionate without being seen as weak. This contrasted with friends who hid their involvement and risked being treated as black sheep.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
In what areas of your life do you rely on cheap signaling versus costly signaling? How can you demonstrate commitment through actions rather than words?
Think of a time when you had to back down on a belief. How did that affect your credibility? What would have been a 'walk the walk' alternative?
How can leaders use costly signaling to build trust and respect while still maintaining flexibility in most situations?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- The Black Swan The Impact of the Highly Improbable With a new section On Robustness and Fragility (Nassim Nicholas Taleb)