This article is especially relevant to my current work, but it is also an important reminder that humans, across the board, are creatures of habit.
[John Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor] has hit on a crucial insight. “Behavior change happens mostly by speaking to people’s feelings,” he says. “This is true even in organizations that are very focused on analysis and quantitative measurement, even among people who think of themselves as smart in an MBA sense. In highly successful change efforts, people find ways to help others see the problems or solutions in ways that influence emotions, not just thought.”
This article is a little light on the science, but it’s a brilliantly written piece for its audience… business executives. Buy in at the C-level is so vital to the success of change management, it often a deciding factor. I can think of, oh, around 20 C-level people I’ve worked with who need to read this. Strike that. I know 20 C-level people I’ve worked with who need to understand this. Oh if only I had that magic wand.