Author: Fran Bambust
In this book, the author outlines a 12-step model to change the behavior of fellow human beings. Seven of these steps are the core of persuasion:
Experience: manage the experience;
Engage: ensure social support;
Enthuse: generate enthusiasm;
Enable: lower the barriers;
Enlighten: arm with insight;
Exemplify: prove you mean it;
Encourage: indulge your target audience a bit more;
an eighth method that also works is:
Enforce: prohibit and mandate.
This story is preceded by Envision: define the goal; and Explore: explore the target audience.
Two more steps follow: Envelop: involve and unfold with the 5 P’s:
Prepare: prepare the behavior and support;
Prime: plant the idea;
Pause: interrupt the automatic behavior;
Prove: prove the choice;
Program: practice and repeat;
and Evaluate: test, learn, and adjust.
At the end of each chapter, there’s a handy checklist.
In this way, there’s essentially a sort of PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle from Deming included.
The 7 (8) dropout methods that form the core of the “Do” step are simultaneously implementable. They provide ways to tailor approaches to target audiences. That’s a lot. “Won’t that become too expensive?” many managers might ask worriedly. Indeed, this is a risk with a quick implementation of this model. However, the model itself takes this into account: chapter 4.10 describes what to do with the ideas that arise from the necessary brainstorming over the 7 (8) dropout methods. For this, one can call upon a consultant who masters the model. (Currently, however, there is still little experience with this model.) In that chapter, a method is provided for responsibly doing ‘kill your darlings’. This can significantly reduce costs and hopefully stay within budget.
What is clear from the model, however, is that to change behavior, a brochure and a poster – no matter how shocking or appealing – are not enough.
To describe a dropout method, you can include the following topics in a template:
Name of the intervention;
General description (appearance, core issues);
Objective;
Regarding which barriers;
Expected effects;
Tasks: who does what;
Model: Flow chart of the intervention;
Monitoring: did it do what was intended?
This leaves the question of whether this social marketing method can be a change management tool within risk management.
Envision:
Improve general risk awareness;
Improve Risk Behavior concerning the following aspects:
Xxx (pending problem in the organization);
Explore:
The target group for risk management can be divided into:
Individualists;
Hierarchists;
Egalitarians;
Fatalists.
Advice for fatalists: do not hire them!
Focus mainly on individualists: they form the majority of humanity.
7E (8E): Start!
(Organization-dependent).
For awareness, you can work with ‘Did you know?’ messages. It is best to use the momentum of the moment. Today it’s terrorism. Tomorrow something else.
For individualists, it’s best to work with facts that are useful in both private life and at work.
For hierarchists, provide a hierarchically tinted explanation of why the boss made a decision.
For egalitarians, it’s best to emphasize the social aspects intended.
Enjoy!