Behaviour change is basically learning how to react or initiate differently from the way we normally do. This can be done in two ways. First we can purposefully think of a different way of acting and second we can observe and adapt subconsciously to our surroundings. Both are learned in practice. Not from a book, in a classroom or just by watching others without practicing ourselves. The paradox of behaviour change is that only by acting differently will someone learn to behave differently. Aristoteles already mentioned this. He maintained that the things we need to learn before being able to do, we learn by doing. This implies that starting to practice is the destination of change and the objective is the learning journey. With that in mind we have actually changed from the moment we start to act differently. All we need to do further is to keep on practicing, until it becomes second nature.
Behaviour changes as soon as we start taking steps. With each step the capability to act differently grows. The maxim to drive behaviour change is start your engine, shift gear out of neutral into drive, let go of the brake and step on the accelerator. To speed up your learning, exchange the preprogramed route for an alternative course of action. This implies that changing our behaviour does not have to take long, depending on what skill or habit is to be learned. It will only take long when a lot of time is wasted by talking and not starting to practice. What also requires time is to automate new behaviour and master all the ins and outs. But be aware. Usually the point of true mastery is never reached, making the acquisition of mastership a never ending story. To keep on going, despite the fact that learning is never finished, requires success. Everyone gets their motivation from improving and the pleasure that it gives. And we get demotivated from twaddling and dawdling. That’s why delaying often ends up in postponing change. So why do we find it so hard to start?
There are a number of reasons for this. First of all, behaviour change is handled in a generic way. Little distinction is made between the various types of behaviour. Automatic, attentive and autonomous behaviour is unjustly seen as more of the same. This view simply does not work. Secondly, behaviour change is usually not integrally managed. Too often dysfunctional thoughts, missing emotion and discouraging environments are not taken into account. Third and lastly, most people have no clue as to how to change their behaviour. Personal development is hardly addressed in education and upbringing. Very little attention is paid to breaking habits, how to constructively handle setbacks, the influence of our surroundings, the role of self-talk, the reframing of dysfunctional thoughts and how to control emotions. These three reasons make it paramount to use a customized approach. Depending on the type of change we need to focus on certain parts of the behaviour framework. To illustrate how this is done we have made a distinction between five change strategies that apply to most of the behaviour changes within organisations. The impact of life-changing events and how to control autonomous behaviour have been deliberately left out.
Routinising
Habits change by simultaneously breaking old and learning new routines. It is a matter of relearning. So how is this done? Repeating the same behaviour causes a habitual loop of signal, routine and reward. Something in the environment triggers an automatic response that results in a satisfying sensation and good feeling. This feeling is caused by an autonomous chemical reaction in the reward centre of our brain. The habitual loop causes a vicious and automated circle, shorting out conscious thought. Thought no longer has a role other than supervising what we are doing on the automatic pilot. If need be it can intervene, like when in danger. Besides this intervention role, our conscious thought plays a crucial role in breaking habits. To break with routines we have to attentively avoid the triggers that activate the routine, deliberately act differently when sensing the urge to automatically react and actively reward this new routine. Unlearning is only possible by replacing what we have learned with a new routine. This will allow the existing neural pathway in the brain to extinguish in favour of the new path being created. The new routine can also be doing nothing, like in the case of breaking most bad habits. Just by stopping to do the things that are harmful. In any case, once a habit has been acquired, it can never be forgotten or thrown out. It just fades and lies dormant, waiting to be reactivated.
We need to learn new working routines when breaking with (persistent) ill desired behavioural patterns. An example of this is employees from different departments not collaborating effectively or interacting in a non-constructive way. They then no longer help and support each other. Besides lack of cooperation, typical ineffective behavioural patterns are excessive internal orientation, limited problem solving or no initiative to improve and innovate. Routinising can also apply to a way of working that is no longer functional, like superfluous reporting, excessive conferring and a lack of working methodically. In all of these cases the old routines will have to be consciously replaced by new procedures.
Skilling
Learning new skills is simply a matter of practice. The focus lies on acquiring new knowledge by experiencing how to act in reality. We learn a skill only by trial and error. This is essential to gain full understanding of what works and does not work, allowing the right connections to grow in our brain. But bear in mind, within three weeks new neural pathways fade to their original level, unless the experience is repeated. The more often we reuse information, the deeper the pathways get embedded in our memory. That is why we no longer have to consciously think about how to act once the pathway is travelled enough to become an automatic response. Furthermore, when learning a skill it is best to focus on what to do and not to emphasise what is done wrong. Too much attention on mistakes can lead to obsessive focus on the wrong actions. This will only strengthen them.
The introduction of new competencies is a typical example of skilling in organisations. The need for skilling is usually the development of the present level of professionalism. Launching new products and services can also be a reason to transform the workplace into a learning platform to gain experience. Gaining experience to become more capable is commonly referred to as on-the-job-training. Skilling is also needed when starting in a new position or role, when new tasks are assigned or to enhance the present level of proficiency.
Socialising
Humans are social beings that adapt to their social surroundings. We learn much by observing others and imitating what they do. Unnoticed we copy continuously what others do. We owe this capability to our mirror neurons. That is why behaviour evokes behaviour in others. We adapt to the mannerisms of the company we keep and take over their language and practices. Our body literally assumes the common poses and ways of acting of the group. We adopt the customs, get accustomed to the people we are exposed to and adapt subconsciously to our physical environment. This is effectively used in nudges. A nudge is a small push in the desired direction to control behaviour. It is a physical intervention by making a relative small change to the living environment. In this way the association to conditioned social norms is used to recall a different response. For example, the Dutch Railways successfully used images of books in train compartments where people have to be quiet, referring to library scenes where it is normal to be silent.
Socialising takes place as soon as someone enters a new organisation. So everyone in an organisation has hands-on experience with adapting to their social environment. In the first few weeks newcomers frown and wonder about all the things that are new to them. They are pleasantly surprised and get into situations that raise the eyebrows. After a few months and the decision to stay, everyone takes their place in the organisation. The common practices are accepted as normal and no longer questioned. Another examples of adapting is when an organisation enters new markets with strange cultures. Or when it tries to create a new identity and image. It is also applicable when companies start to co-create more or merge together. The only prerequisite for socialising is frequent physical exposure.
Remodelling
A completely different type of behavioural change is the remodelling of our self-image. Self-image is the notion of who am I now and who do I want to become. Our sense of self is based on the idea of having to be someone, besides the person we think we ought to be and the individual we are striving to become. These beliefs turn into convictions that control our behaviour. The concept of having to be a certain person precludes becoming someone else. In this way an employee will generally not see himself as a leader. However, everyone can change their role in life. Take our name and gender. Artists choose catchy names to reinvent a new persona befitting the image they like to portray. They subsequently exhibit the role that is congruent with this image by dressing and acting the part. This anyone can do. Simply by picturing a different role or person. It will automatically change their behaviour. If this is done consciously long enough it will become second nature. Over time, we transform into the person we are telling ourselves to be. Our sense of self is no more than a thought we instil upon ourselves. Without the voice in our head telling us who we are there is no ‘I’. We just make this up, based on experiences, impressions from others and personal desires. That is why it is not that hard to change. Just start thinking differently about yourself and select an environment that is best suited for your new ‘me’.
Remodelling is looking with new eyes at present roles and job description. It directly impacts the way someone personally identifies with the work they are (not) doing and is applicable when someone has to break with the underlying ideas. Like an employee is not supposed to take the lead, but should be loyal to his superior and just do as told. In general remodelling requires a new label, for example the intrapeneur who undertakes new things from within the organisation, the knowledge networker who makes optimal use of social media or the change driver in control of his or her own development. Another way to transform the self-image is to change the content of the role. This will certainly have an impact on people who tend to limit themselves to just their job description and not respond appropriately to what actually occurs.
Reframing
The last change strategy is looking differently at the world or getting a new perspective on the things that have happened. Our worldview and perception of someone or something greatly influences what we do. That is why reframing helps to change behaviour. All we have to do is learn a different view. We can do this by taking a fresh point of view on convictions and experiences, and seeing them in a different light. Or we can simply relabel someone or something, for example from hostile to friendly. It will transform the way we react. To what extent ideas of the big bad outside world influence our behaviour can be seen in phobias. A phobia is an uncontrolled and irrational fear for certain things or places. In reality it is nonsense. The thought up anxiety drives someone to avoid their object of fear. Well known examples are fear of flying, driving, heights, small rooms and big spaces. Another example is neophobia, the excessive fear for everything that is new and unknown. Neophobia impairs the willingness to try out new things and break with daily routines.
How do people start to look differently upon the organisation? By taking an unconventional view on how we organize and interact. This starts with fundamentally re-assessing what believes cause counterproductive behaviours. Just think of there must always be consensus, management must control what subordinates do and colleagues from others departments are our competitors. Ideas like these can and often do work counterproductively. The next step is to assess what behaviour these notions bring about and what the alternatives are. This is easily done by taking the perspective from others and looking from their standpoint. Managers could do this easily with employees and vice versa. It is often a real eye-opener. Or by naming the other differently. This is what the public services did by renaming patients and civilians as clients. This relabeling triggered officials and physicians to start acting differently when providing community services or treating patients