Main hindrances to behavior change: e.g. in ecology
Januar 10, 2011
Eine der grundsätzlichen Forschungsfragen, die uns @change centre beschäftigt, ist die Diskrepanz zwischen Wissen um und sogar Willen zum Veränderungsbedarf einerseits und dem oftmals ausbleibenden, konkreten Verhaltenswandel des/r Einzelnen andererseits. Wieso folgen auf eine geänderte Einstellung nicht zwangsläufig auch veränderte Verhaltensmuster? Was hindert jedes Individuum daran, das persönliche Verhalten den eigenen Einstellungen anzupassen?
Beispiel Umwelt- und Klimabewusstsein: Laut der aktuellen Studie „Umweltbewusstsein 2010 in Deutschland“ des Umweltbundesamtes meinen 72 % der repräsentativ befragten Deutschen, dass sie es sich vorstellen können oder bereits planen, Ökostrom zu nutzen. Aber nur 8 % derselben Befragten haben bereits tatsächlich auf Ökostrom umgestellt, um ein konkretes Beispiel anzuführen.
Neben monetären Gründen – neun von zehn Befragten lehnen einen Aufpreis von mehr als 10% für umweltfreundlichere Produkte ab – hindert vor allem die Wahrnehmung, nicht ich persönlich, sondern Politik und Wirtschaft/Industrie können einen entscheidenden Beitrag für ein verbessertes Klima leisten, die Bürger an konkreten Verhaltensänderungen. Zu demselben Ergebnis kommt eine Eurobarometerbefragung von 2009, welche nach den Gründen fragt, persönlich den Klimawandel nicht zu bekämpfen.
Um es mit den Worten eines sehr lesenswerten Aufsatzes von Udo Kuckartz (http://www.klimabewusstsein.de/dateien/Kuckartz_2010_Nicht%20hier%20nicht%20jetzt.pdf) zusammenzufassen: „Nicht ich“! – Lieber auf Politik und Wirtschaft schieben. Was seiner Meinung nach immerhin den Vorteil bietet, dass eine positive Akzeptanzstimmung für politische Maßnahmen in der Bevölkerung vorhanden sei.
Dennoch meinen wir @change centre, dass jede/r Einzelne (einschließlich uns selbst) auch von der Wichtigkeit und auch den eigenen Vorteilen eines individuellen Verhaltenswandels überzeugt werden kann und sollte.
CAR
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/behavior/
Learning from nature – The Hundredth Monkey Effect revisited
November 29, 2010
Sometimes nature can teach us some lessons that are worthwhile consideration, even for change management processes. Did you ever hear about the “Hundredth Monkey Effect”?
In 1952 scientists were conducting a study of macaques monkeys on the Japanese island of Koshima. They were feeding the wild monkeys with sweet potatoes dropped in the sand. The monkeys liked the taste of the raw sweet potatoes. But they found the dirt and sand unpleasant. One day, a young monkey discovered that she could solve the problem by washing the potatoes in a nearby stream.
She taught this innovation, this change, to her mother and to her playmates. Gradually this new behavior spread through the younger generation of monkeys – in the usual fashion, through observation and repetition. However, this was a slow process. Only those adults who imitated their own children adopted this social improvement. Other adults kept eating the dirty sweet potatoes. The change adoption rate was very low.
A couple of years later, 1958, a certain number of Koshima monkeys were washing sweet potatoes – the exact number is unknown. Let us suppose that one morning there were 99 monkeys on Koshima Island who had learned to wash their sweet potatoes. Let’s further suppose that later that morning, the hundredth monkey learned to wash potatoes. Then it happened! That same evening almost everyone in the tribe was washing sweet potatoes before eating them. The added example of this hundredth monkey somehow created an ideological breakthrough for change – and led to the fact that the whole monkey community adopted the change after a very short time.
What can we learn from this story (regardless of whether it is just a metaphor or based on true facts)? The “Hundredth Monkey Effect” gives us an important lesson: If only a limited number of people are familiar of the intended change, it will remain the secret of this minority. But obviously there is a point in time at which only one more person, one more idea, one more project, one more effort is enough, to spread the change spirit among everyone! So in change management, we should actively seek after the hundredth monkey to achieve the breakthrough in change and to spread our new ideas and concepts in the whole organization.
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/100th-monkey/
Spelling Change: Six Factors for Success
November 22, 2010
The paragraphs following below are quoted from a speech, Prof. Dr. Klewes recently gave to Russian managers, Moscow.
Spelling C H A N G E
Change is more than a buzzword. In fact, successfully delivering change is about precise, well-thought-out execution. In order to be an effective change manager there are some principles to be followed, I want to present you. To make them easy to remember, we abbreviated these six recommendations into an acronym, which – by accident – forms the word C H A N G E.
C: Communicate the need for change – and a clear vision.
To avoid resistance, anxiety and confusion, it is essential to explain the reasons for change to our employees. Have a clear vision of what shall be achieved in the future and communicate how to get there in an understandable way. My experience is, the simpler you do this, the better.
H: Honest Feedback.
Never ever stop sharing information within your company at any time, even if you are falling behind your plan. Cristal clear honesty is the most important resource needed to build up trust and credibility during the change process.
A: Alliance building.
No one can achieve successful change alone – you have to find a group of people supporting you, who go out and talk about the need to change, who travel and explain the vision, strategy and specific steps on the way towards your goal.
N: Nurturing small initiatives.
Change is kind of a trial-and-error process. Therefore, small de-central initiatives are most suitable in order to make the entire process successfully. Different regions and different departments require different and adequate solutions.
G: Give and take support.
Be it central resources, staff or money or be it simply management attention and advice – giving each initiative adequate support is essential for change management. Change cannot be executed without passion and enthusiasm, so give support and seek support actively.
E: Efficiency and 80:20 rule.
Change is never perfect and in change communication not everything has to be perfect. So, keep it simple. Efficient change means to employ your resources very consciously and to avoid any exaggeration.
This is how I would spell C H A N G E.
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/spelling_change/
How to overcome change resistance
Mai 31, 2010
Changing one’s behaviour is oftentimes very difficult, though the desired change seems reasonable and logical. Coevally, psychological research shows that the human brain is composed of two diverging systems concerning decision making: The rational one and the emotional one.
The authors, Chip and Dan Heath, build on these findings theoretically and state that in order to achieve behaviour change, both parts of the brain have to be in line with the aspired aim. They underline the practical validity of this concept by a great variety of real life examples:
From individually altering one’s recycling habits to convincing others of consuming healthier food, from rebranding one’s business to overcoming corruption in governments, all these cases demonstrate very convincingly the way of overcoming change reluctance. This book is highly recommended for business executives as well as all human beings fighting for individual change.
Heath, C. & Heath, D. (2010). SWITCH. How to change things when change is hard. Broadway Business
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/how-to-overcome-change-resistance/
Positive change by strengthening assertiveness
April 14, 2010
Being more assertive is a useful individual characteristic, yet personal change does not come about that simple. Therefore this well-grounded guide provides practical step-by-step instructions readers can easily implement in their everyday life.
The behaviour change programme presented by the authors is based on a variety of techniques stemming from psychology, communications, speech and theatre acting. It focuses on improved expression of opinion in every kind of personal and professional relationships by strengthening self assurance.
This book’s great plus factor is the introduction of the DESC model (describe, express, specify and consequences). Throughout the chapters readers will find helpful exercises to test their assertiveness, evaluate their progress and transfer the model into their own specific living environment.
Bower, S. & Bower, G. (2004). Asserting yourself: A practical guide for positive change. Cambridge: Da Capo Press.
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/positive-change-by-strengthening-assertiveness/
World Health Day: Changing individual behaviour
April 6, 2010
Anlässlich des von der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) jährlich begangenen Weltgesundheitstages steht die Förderung des Gesundheitsbewusstseins der Bevölkerung am 7. April im Mittelpunkt der Öffentlichkeit. Die diesjährige Kampagne „1000 cities – 1000 lives“ macht ein gesünderes Leben in den Städten zum Thema.
„Das Bewusstsein für einen gesünderen Lebensstil jedes und jeder Einzelnen zu wecken, ist der richtige Ansatz“, stimmt Joachim Klewes von der Change Centre Foundation zu. „Was jedoch schmerzlich fehlt, ist das grundlegende Wissen darüber, welcher konkreten Verhaltensänderungen es bedarf. Diese sind bisher weder ausreichend identifiziert noch im Zuge der meisten Gesundheitskampagnen gezielt angesprochen worden.“
Als Positivbeispiel für eine gelungene Kommunikation, welche die Menschen im Alltag erreiche, könne jedoch der simple und zugleich einprägsame Slogan „an apple a day keeps the doctor away“ bei der Prävention von Krankheiten sowie der Bekämpfung von Übergewicht dienen.
Solch eine umgangssprachliche Reduzierung sei auch in anderen Bereichen zur Förderung gesundheitsbewussten Verhaltens notwendig, so zum Beispiel in der Frage des umsichtigen Händewaschens bei der Pandemieprävention Die Change Centre Foundation steht nach eigenen Angaben für eben diese Übersetzung ins Einfache bereit.
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/world-health-day-changing-individual-behaviour/
The 7 levels of personal change
März 30, 2010
The author Rolf Smith, managing director of the School for Innovators, demonstrates how to accomplish positive individual change in all aspects of life. One can find out about habitual constraints and how to overcome them by thinking differently and focussing on (career) prospects.
The book therefore offers various psychological tools such as the Myers-Briggs typology to diagnose one’s type of personality as well as the Kirton adaption-innovation inventory, testing one’s openness for change. Furthermore, readers will gain better understanding of their social surrounding, learning to put themselves in the position of their colleagues and family members.
As an insightful business guide, the book also provides best case examples of international companies that have successfully incorporated Smith’s seven levels of change, inter alia Exxon, IBM, the Royal Bank of Canada and Texaco.
Smith, R. (2007). The 7 levels of change: Different thinking for different results (3rd ed.), Tapestry Press.
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/the-7-levels-of-personal-change/
Equal Pay Day: Only concrete programmes will induce change
März 24, 2010
This year’s “equal pay day”, conducted on March 26th 2010 as the date to which German women have to continue their last year’s work in order to achieve the equal annual salary of their male colleagues in 2009, brings the Change Centre Foundation to call for precise measures to be taken by the German economy:
“It is especially the resistance to change becoming manifest in the very concrete attitude and behaviour patterns of decision makers that we are interested in at the Change Centre Foundation,” says Christina Angela Rauh, editor and content manager at CCF. Joachim Klewes, the initiator of the think tank, states: “The same holds true for this issue as it does for other changes in business and society: As long as there are no concrete programmes within the organisations, these structural changes – by law or sets of regulations for example – only have impact on practice sluggishly.”
Via international research cooperations the Change Centre Foundation therefore strives to introduce best practice examples from abroad in Germany. Furthermore, there is going to be a Europe-wide research project which will investigate the attitudes of national representatives from all 27 EU member state parliaments towards specific societal changes.
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/equal-pay-day-only-concrete-programmes-will-induce-change/
Equal Pay Day: Nur konkrete Programme ändern etwas
März 24, 2010
Zum diesjährigen “Equal Pay Day” am 26. März 2010, dem Datum bis zu welchem deutsche Frauen über das Ende des Jahres 2009 hinaus arbeiten müssen, um auf das gleiche Vorjahresgehalt wie ihre männlichen Kollegen zu kommen, fordert die Change Centre Foundation konkrete Schritte gegen die Lohndiskriminierung in der deutschen Wirtschaft:
„Was uns in der Change Centre Foundation interessiert, ist vor allem die Resistenz gegen Veränderungen, die sich in den ganz konkreten Einstellungs- und Verhaltensstrukturen von Entscheidern manifestiert,“ sagt Christina Angela Rauh von der Change Centre Foundation. Der Initiator des Think Tanks, Joachim Klewes bemerkt dazu: „Bei diesem Thema gilt das Gleiche wie bei anderen Veränderungen in Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft: Solange es keine konkreten Programme in den Organisationen gibt, wirken sich die Strukturveränderungen – etwa durch Gesetze und Vorschriften – nur im Schneckentempo auf die Praxis aus.”
Mithilfe internationaler Forschungskooperationen will die Change Centre Foundation daher best practice-Beispiele aus dem Ausland in Deutschland bekannt machen. Geplant ist darüber hinaus ein eigenes Europa weites Forschungsprojekt, in dem die Haltung von Abgeordneten in den 27 nationalen Parlamenten der EU-Mitgliedsstaaten zu konkreten Veränderungen untersucht wird.
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/equal-pay-day-nur-konkrete-programme-andern-etwas/
Changing your behaviour from the inside out
März 10, 2010
The author and coach Hank Fieger has written a very practical and personal handbook introducing 4 core principles for behaviour change at the individual level.
According to him awareness is the first step, followed by understanding the factors causing retention of one’s habitual behaviour. Thirdly, one has to replace old and ineffective patterns by making new choices that lead to first improvements. Finally, these improvements will only be reinforced by their practice including feedback by others.
Fieger’s guide is recommended to business executives, coaches and policy makers as well as to everyday individuals interested in modifying their way of life, improving their efficiency and creativity and developing as a human being. Additionally one will find specific exercises at the end of each chapter to rehearse the four principles for the purpose of inducing sustained life change.
Fieger, H. (2009). Behavior change: A view from the inside out. New York: Morgan James Publishing
Source URL: http://change-centre.org/changing-your-behaviour-from-the-inside-out/
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