Category: Reading

This one is all about fostering an environment of change. The authors compare the mind to an Elephant (our emotional side) and a Rider (our logical side) with changing being the path we are walking down. They talk about ways to motivate the Elephant (who can get through almost anything if it wants to), directing the Rider (who can make good decisions, as long as choices are clearly identified) all while making sure the desired path of change is as clear as it can be.

Interesting tidbit: the authors cite a study by physician Donald Redelmeier and psychologist Eldar Shafir:

A doctor is reviewing the medical records of a 67 year-old patient who is suffering from chronic hip pain. At this point, the man has tried every medication known and his regular doctor was forced to recommend a hip replacement (a painful and, at the patient’s age, risky procedure that will entail a long recovery process). As the doctor is reviewing the medical records a new and promising drug is announced. The question is: should the doctor recommend the surgery or try the new drug. In this scenario, 47% of doctors chose to try the new drug. Under a slightly different scenario, this time two drugs were introduced, only 28% of doctors opted for either drug.

The authors attribute this dramatic change to the Rider being overwhelmed by the sudden additional options and so defaulted to the original choice of surgery without really considering its implications. An example of the Rider needing to have choices clearly marked.

• You have an elephant and rider within you
• Self-control is an exhaustible resource
• This exhaustion inhibits creativity
• Try to appeal to the rider first
• “Invented here” is a powerful motivation
• Learn by doing
• What looks like resistance is often a lack of direction or decision paralysis
  1. Find the bright spots
  2. Script the critical step
• To the rider, the analysis is often more fun than the doing
• Redirect the energy into an emotional engaging goal

Daniel’s notes

• Direct the Rider. What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity. So provide crystal-clear direction. (Something like, “Drink 1% milk” instead of “Reduce the cream content in your milk”.)
  • Look for bright spots. Places where success is already happening.
• Motivate the Elephant. What looks like laziness is often exhaustion. The Rider can’t get his way by force for very long. So it’s critical that you engage people’s emotional side—get their Elephants on the path and cooperative. (Think of the cookies and radishes study and the boardroom conference table full of gloves.) 
• Shape the Path. What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem. We call the situation (including the surrounding environment) the “Path.” When you shape the Path, you make change more likely, no matter what’s happening with the Rider and Elephant. (Think of the effect of shrinking movie popcorn buckets.)