INSIGHTS: The Overton Window - Working with the Possible
Nigel Donovan
Executive Stress Management > Executive Leadership Coach > Emotional Intelligence Coach > Executive Coaching
The Overton Window is a concept primarily used in political or negotiation contexts. It describes the range of ideas and policies that are considered acceptable or feasible by the public or stakeholders at a given time. Decisions often affect a diverse range of people, some of whom may have very different perspectives.
?In politics, for example, there are policies held by the LEFT that the RIGHT will never accept, and policies held by the RIGHT that the LEFT will never accept.
?However, there exists a range of policies or actions that are acceptable to both sides. This range is referred to as the "Overton Window."
?To implement changes outside of the Overton Window typically requires drastic measures or revolution, which often involves compelling compliance.
?How is this relevant for personal habits and cultural change?
Our actions and decisions are influenced by the output of approximately 86 billion neurons 'voting' on what matters. The aggregate of these votes determines our individual choices and what we 'feel like doing'.
?Culture—whether within a company or a nation—is the result of this collective decision-making process: the collective aggregate of the individual aggregates.
?When people decide to change habits or culture, it may initially seem promising, but there is always an Overton Window for what is possible at any given time. Habit and cultural change require progressive and incremental adjustments at the edge of comfort—or revolution.
?Revolution, rarely leads to sustainable long-term change without a lot of effort and collateral damage. Forced compliance is often unpleasant and usually unsustainable without constant vigilance.
?The most effective and sustainable change typically occurs at the edge of comfort—within your Overton Window of what is possible.
The progressive realisation of worthwhile goals.
When did Australia change its mind about SSM?
It’s been several years now—2017—when the then Turnbull government enacted laws to legalise Same Sex Marriage (SSM) in Australia. ( I wrote a blog about it back then.)
This could be argued as the moment Australia changed its mind. From a legal and policy perspective, this is true. However, if we dig a little deeper, we see an excellent case study of how societal views evolve.
The idea of legalising SSM didn’t emerge overnight—it grew steadily over decades. As recently as 1988, people were still being prosecuted for simply having same-sex relationships, let alone for wanting to marry.
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No government of any persuasion could have enacted SSM laws at that time.
As time passed, ideas evolved. Certain segments of the electorate began strongly advocating for increased social acceptance and normalisation of same-sex relationships. Others remained indifferent, while some strongly opposed the shift.
The electorate demographic also changed: 30 years of new voter registrations, and 30 years of older voters leaving the electorate.
Social and moral arguments further shaped this dynamic, progressively shifting more people's attitudes along a continuum:
“strongly disagree → disagree → neutral → agree → strongly agree.”
If most people shift just one step to the right, the balance tips. Not everyone needs to "strongly agree."
At a certain point, it becomes clear that the government can and should act to codify the majority's wishes—even if there are still pockets of strong opposition. In this way, the "Nation" changes its mind.
Governments also measure ‘predictive safety’—the idea that enacting a law is a safer political decision than not acting.
This is what happens in our minds when we change our beliefs. While it feels like a decision in the moment, it's usually the result of a belief or confidence growing over time.
If you want progress, you don’t need to change people from one extreme to another. You just need to help shift them off the edge and find areas of their thinking that align—and build on those.
Where can you start making progress using this process?
PS Whenever you're ready for a conversation, you can book in for a discovery chat with me here.
Cheers,
Nigel