The Three Levels of Leadership - Scouller Leadership Blog » The Language of Change (part 3)
The Language of Change (part 3)
Post 3 of 4 in a series of articles on the subject of leading large-scale change in organisations (part 3).
The first post looked at the power and dangers of metaphors in leading change and suggested replacing the “burning platform” with the idea of a “High Noon moment”. The second post discussed the dangers of underestimating how long it takes people to change and what you can do about it. This post – which is appearing in four parts (this is the third) – continues examining how leaders can frame their change language to best effect.
In The Language of Change part 1 we looked at the confirmation bias, critiqued the usual approach to change communication and introduced a new three-step process:
- Get your audience’s urgent attention
- Stimulate desire for a new future
- Then and only then… appeal to the intellect
In The Language of Change part 2, I offered practical tips on how to get your change audience’s urgent attention. In this part 3, I offer advice on how to stimulate desire for the new future (the change idea). Again, this will be in bullet-point form.
General Advice
- Getting people’s attention does not automatically equal a desire to act!
- Although step #1 often needs the negative, this step #2 must stress the positive. Why? Because negative stories trigger flight/fright/freeze – all of which can block wise, urgent, powerful action.
- To stimulate desire you obviously have to establish an emotional connection with your message. It’s about stirring up emotion without upsetting their self-esteem.
- It’s not about imposing your will. Instead – having helped them see the dangers of the status quo / current trajectory – it’s about enabling them to see that their “story” must change – they have to see themselves, the world and their relations with others and emerging pressures in a new light. Sometimes, especially with people senior to you, it’s about helping them discover the story for themselves.
- Obviously, this new “story” must fit the facts = it must be credible.
- Don’t say too much! Offer a framework, and let them add personalised details if possible. Now you’re co-creating the change so they are more likely to own it and act. This is key if they’re higher than you in the hierarchy. Even if they’re not, it’s good to not give too much detail so they can co-create the “how” of the change (if not the “what”), especially if they’ll be executing the change with you. Try saying, “I need your help…” as this flips the boss / subordinate roles, engaging them by transferring power.
- For maximum power, the change idea/end state/goal/vision must:
Be intrinsically motivating … meaning it must connect with their values and they must believe it’s possible. [Both conditions must be true for it to be motivating]
Be memorable = succinct, catchy.
Be one that allows the audience to contribute to and build on (= co-creating).
Be positive to/for them = delivers benefits.
Generate a new story in people’s minds, i.e. a new mental construction: a new sense of identity … or a new sense of what is important or necessary … or a new sense of the situation’s dangers and the need to act … or a new sense of what’s possible and worthwhile for them and their dependents.
- This is not the place for burning platform stories. That is for step 1. They are great for getting attention, but if they are overdone you can create fear, inhibiting action, which is bad for step 2. Even if it gets action, it may be grudging compliance rather than wholehearted backing, which will break down when you meet obstacles.
- Nor is it the moment to present arguments and reasons as they won’t listen if they’re already hostile or sceptical – remember the confirmation bias. They’ll silently answer your arguments with a counterargument, probably without you knowing. Leave that to step 3 (covered in the next post).
Techniques
These are easy-to-use and generally effective desire-building methods:
- Start a story with “what if…” Removes ego from the discussion, making it easier for curiosity to flow.
- Tell a positive story with a credible happy ending (in the eyes of the audience). Very useful as the “seeing is believing” method (next idea) isn’t always possible.
- Seeing is believing: finding a way for the audience to see or experience the new possibility for themselves. Perhaps with a demo of what the end result would look like with a working prototype.
- Externalise the obstacle to change. This is making the “threat” outside rather than inside, making it easier to mobilise people.
- Use a metaphor that points to a relevant story. Stephen Denning offers the example of prostitutes in India persuading their clients to use condoms: “if you want to enjoy the fruits of the tree you must keep it healthy.”
- Offer a positive challenge. “Let’s win this for Neymar” was the Brazil football team’s warcry after they lost their star player to injury in the 2014 World Cup.
- Tell a “common memory” story. Get people to recall a shared experience which provokes emotions that can trigger change. “Remember the time we…”
- Invent a memorable saying, e.g. “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”, e.g. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
The next post – the last in The Language of Change series – will appear tomorrow and offer advice on step #3: how to appeal to the intellect with stories.
The author is James Scouller, an executive coach. His book, The Three Levels of Leadership: How to Develop Your Leadership Presence, Knowhow and Skill, was published in May 2011. You can learn more about it at www.three-levels-of-leadership.com. If you want to see its reviews, click here: leadership book reviews. If you want to know where to buy it, click HERE. You can read more about his executive coaching services at The Scouller Partnership’s website.
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