SUBTEXTwill create uncertainty in your opponent. The mystery is created
by the mask, the mask that signals "I'm unguessable."THE JANUS FACTOR
Civilization, to a large degree, is based on masking, or its first
cousin, control. When people live together and work together, a
great deal of their day is spent covering up what they really feel
and in controlling their real emotions. It may seem surprising,
but sometimes it is very important to mask the subtexts we send
out, to keep what we really feel hidden.
Sometimes the masking is consistent, but more often than not
it is based on what I call the Janus Factor. Janus, you will remember,
was the Roman god represented with two opposite faces. Jake is
a perfect example of the Janus Factor in action.
Jake's job is to supervise a dozen workers in his department.
"One thing about Jake," one of the people under him said, "he's
consistent. A grade-A bully every time!"
The executives above Jake couldn't believe the occasional nega-
tive reports they heard about him. "This is a very sweet guy,"
his immediate superior insisted. "He's always ready to do a favor,
always helpful and pleasant. Gets his job done quickly. There
must be a couple of bad apples in that crew of his."
Was Jake two different people? A dual personality? Not at all.
He simply used the Janus Factor to cope with life. In essence,
the Janus Factor says that every man or woman in a corporation
has two faces. One face is turned toward the people higher up in
the corporate structure, and sends out one type of subtext. Another
face is turned toward those lower down, with quite a different
subtext.