Common Sense & Behavior Change
Common sense leads many of us to believe that we know more than we actually do, and as a result, we find ourselves trying to evoke change through ineffective measures. This belief and others like it, are rooted deeply within the ideals and myths that we carry regarding behavior change. As Dr. Cross points out, “[Our] greatest adversary is not that change is hard to make; [our] greatest adversary is common sense” (2013). Naturally, most of us believe that we know what we need and what is right for us, but research shows that that belief is a flawed one. Dr. Cross describes these beliefs and misconceptions in her Ted Talk on myths, where each myth is dispelled by what is needed to create changes in behavior. Her points help further align with how influence plays a factor in what strategies are effective and what will yield only mild results.
Shifting the mindset of those needed for change to occur, is only one small step towards implementing change. When striving for change, identifying your desired results involves acknowledging who your message is meant to appeal to, what social interaction is important to address that audience, and what values are connected to changing behaviors (Cross, 2013). Keeping this notion in mind allows me to help better understand what essentially is required to see an organizational shift, that better aligns my students with the skills and resources needed for the real world. ePortfolios and the process of reflection and authentic learning are only one part of that bigger picture. In order to align myself with the other parts, I will have to focus my attention on the six sources of influence and how those can be used towards my innovation plan.
Change Behavior and Change the World
As I listened to Joseph Grenny’s Ted Talk, I found myself reflecting on how closely connected influence is to behavioral change. Grenny begins his talk with recounted a story of a young girl from Nairobi, forced into a lifestyle unimaginable by many, primarily due to limited resources and accessible work in her area. What was fascinating was not just the fact that she eventually prevails in the story, but the way that influence played a factor in how her situation changed (Grenny, 2013).
When we really take the time to think about it the six sources of influences act on all of us all of the time in various ways. This is something that must be taken into consideration when creating information meant to influence individuals within my organization. My goal is to not only look at ability but also the motivation behind personal, social, or structural interactions and influences (Patterson & Granny, 2013).
References:
Cross, J. (2013, March 20). Three myths of behavior change - what you think you know that you don't: Jeni Cross at tedxcsu. YouTube. Retrieved January 24, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5d8GW6GdR0
Grenny, J. (2013, April 26). Change behavior- change the world: Joseph Grenny at tedxbyu. YouTube. Retrieved January 24, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T9TYz5Uxl0
Patterson, K., & Grenny, J. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change, Second Edition. McGraw-Hill Education.
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