Tuesday, September 27, 2011

"Change or Die"

Your doctor says, "Change your behavior, or you'll die sooner." 
What do you do?

If you're like 90% of patients with severe heart disease, you won't make the changes. 

Logic and facts aren't enough to inspire real change. Force and fear tactics aren't sufficient either.

If they were, 
  • Surgeons' warnings would have eliminated smoking,
  • The "three strikes rule" would stop repeat-offenders from committing crimes,
  • And management and labor would readily collaborate to improve business outcomes.
Instead,
  • The illnesses consuming most of our health care budgets are caused by poor smoking, drinking, eating, and exercise habits.  
  • Our prisons are populated with career criminals.
  • And employees and companies cling to unsuccessful business practices, even as revenues decline and plants close. 
Many of our long standing assumptions about how to create change are wrong. 

But some leaders are discovering what will work over the long term. 

    
In his concise, engaging book Change or Die, Alan Deutschman offers success stories like:
  • The Dean Ornish program, where a three year follow-up showed that 77% of the patients had stuck with their lifestyle changes. 
  • The Delancey Street Foundation, where 60% of their residents (including ex-felons, prostitutes, and substance abusers) transitioned into productive law-abiding citizens.
  • And a union/management partnership between Toyota and NUMMI that revived a failed plant, producing better cars with fewer workers (and grievances).
What do these examples have in common?  Leaders who provided opportunities to
  • Relate:  forming a relationship with a credible person or group who believes, and inspires hope that, the change will happen.
  • Repeat:  guidance and support while you practice new skills and habits that create the change. 
  • Reframe: highlighting experiences that help you find new ways to think about your situation. 
These "3 R" components frame effective change processes on both the personal and organizational level. 

Are they playing a strong enough role in your change effort?