In their best-selling book, \u201cSwitch,\u201d brothers Chip and Dan Heath discuss why it\u2019s so difficult for us to change, whether we\u2019re trying to change the way we eat or change the way we do business.\u00a0 The culprit is a fundamental conflict that\u2019s hardwired into our brains.\u00a0 But once you understand the conflict, you can find ways to manage it.\u00a0 If you have concerns about your ability to effect transformative change, in either your personal or professional life, please read below.<\/p>\n
According to the brothers Heath, our minds operate with two different systems.\u00a0 Our \u201cRational Mind\u201d is the part of us that is deliberate, thoughtful, cautious, and analytical.\u00a0 But left to its own devices, our Rational Mind will get bogged down in analysis paralysis.\u00a0 It will think, ponder, analyze, and play \u201cwhat if\u201d games endlessly, but won\u2019t take any action.\u00a0 On the other hand, our \u201cEmotional Mind\u201d is all about action.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t want to spend time thinking about stuff, it just wants to get the show on the road.\u00a0 Unfortunately, without the offsetting influence of the Rational Mind, the Emotional Mind may get the show on a road to nowhere with no gas in the tank.\u00a0 So we have this constant internal conflict or tug-of-war.\u00a0 The Rational Mind knows we need to lose weight, the Emotional Mind wants beer and pizza.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re trying to implement significant change, the trick according to the Heath brothers, is to find a \u201cPath\u201d that satisfies the Rational Mind and still excites the Emotional Mind.\u00a0 But finding such a Path can be easier said than done.\u00a0 As you would expect, the intrepid Heath brothers have a way.\u00a0 They advise looking for \u201cbright spots\u201d or \u201cexceptions.\u201d\u00a0 Here\u2019s what they mean.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s say we\u2019re trying to roll out a new product or service offering.\u00a0 In 98% of our market area, sales are dismal.\u00a0 A normal response to a problem like this might be to review all our marketing materials, talk to our sales people about what they\u2019re encountering in the field, and try to find a reason for our lackluster sales results.\u00a0 The Heaths response would be different.\u00a0 While this can be somewhat counterintuitive, they recommend looking at the \u201cbright spots,\u201d in this case, the 2% of our market area where sales are at or above expectations.\u00a0 Instead of trying to figure out why the 98% are failing, let\u2019s figure out why the 2% are succeeding and that will be our Path for success with the 98% as well.<\/p>\n
In another example, a healthcare worker was trying to help malnourished kids in a primitive part of the world where the main problems were poverty, poor sanitation, and poor access to clean water.\u00a0 With almost no budget or manpower, the worker couldn\u2019t hope to follow a Path that would even make a dent in such large, intractable problems.\u00a0 So he went looking for \u201cexceptions\u201d or \u201cbright spots.\u201d\u00a0 He went looking for kids who, even though mired in the same problems, were healthier and better-nourished than other kids.\u00a0 He studied what their parents were doing that the parents of malnourished kids were not, and developed a Path that would help all parents adopt practices that were within their means and that would keep their kids healthier and better fed.<\/p>\n
So when you\u2019re faced with enacting significant change or solving a big problem, remember that neither part of your mind can do it alone.\u00a0 Give yourself a Path that will give clear direction to your Rational Mind, and an exciting outcome to your Emotional Mind.<\/p>\n
This really only scratches the surface of the Heaths\u2019 great book, \u201cSwitch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard.\u201d\u00a0 If you want the full story, pick up a copy.\u00a0 Highly recommended.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In their best-selling book, \u201cSwitch,\u201d brothers Chip and Dan Heath discuss why it\u2019s so difficult for us to change, whether we\u2019re trying to change the way we eat or change the way we do business.\u00a0 The culprit is a fundamental conflict that\u2019s hardwired into our brains.\u00a0 But once you understand the conflict, you can find<\/p>\n