Leadership and Change: Part 2, the Rider

This is the second episode in our four-part series on change management, influence, and personal transformation. Last time, I introduced the Rider, Elephant, and Path framework from Dan and Chip Heath's book "Switch." Today, I’m zooming in on the Rider - our analytical, rational side.

The Rider is the part of us that wants to analyze and solve problems logically. It's great at planning and seeing the big picture. But here's the catch - the Rider can also get bogged down in overthinking and analysis paralysis. Sound familiar? Whether you're leading a team at work or trying to make personal changes, this overthinking can be a real roadblock, and the point where many fail.

?The Heaths give us three key strategies for directing the Rider: Find the Bright Spots, Script the Critical Moves, and Point to the Destination. These strategies are crucial for both professional leadership and personal influence. Let's break them down.

?First up, Finding the Bright Spots. This is a game-changer. Instead of focusing on what's broken and trying to fix it, the Heaths suggest looking for "bright spots" - examples of success that can be replicated. This approach works wonders whether you're leading a team or working on personal growth.

?Let me give you an illustration. Imagine you're a teacher struggling with classroom behavior. Instead of dwelling on the students who misbehave, you decide to identify the times and situations when students are well-behaved. Perhaps you notice that behavior is best during group projects. Bingo! This is your bright spot. By analyzing why group projects are successful, you can design more activities that incorporate those successful elements.

?Now, let's apply this to a business context. Say you're a sales manager trying to improve your team's performance. Instead of obsessing over why some reps are underperforming, look at your top performers. What are they doing differently? How can you replicate their success across the team?

?One tool the Heaths suggest is the Exception Question: "When was the last time you saw a little bit of the solution you're seeking, even just for a short time?" This question is gold because it helps you identify times when things are working better than usual.

?If you're struggling to find any bright spots, try the Miracle Question: "If a miracle occurred overnight and solved this problem, what's the first small sign you'd notice that things have changed?" This can help you envision what success looks like in concrete terms.

?Remember, bright spots are specific to you and your situation. What works for one person or team might not work for another. The key is to gather data, study it to find unusually positive performers, understand the "normal way" things are done, and then figure out what the bright spots are doing differently.

?Moving on to our second strategy: Scripting the Critical Moves. This is about being crystal clear on how people should act - or how you should act if you're working on personal change. It's not enough to have a grand vision; you need to break it down into specific, actionable steps.

?The Heaths emphasize that leaders need to transform aspirations into actions. They suggest creating an "If we act this way, then we can't help but get closer to the goal" statement. It's about being concrete and specific. Too often this is the step where I see leaders fail. They assume that these concrete, actionable steps are obvious and fail to communicate them.

?For example, if you're trying to improve customer service in your company, a critical move might be, "Every team member will follow up with customers within 24 hours of their purchase." In your personal life, if you're trying to get fit, a critical move could be, "I will put on my running shoes immediately after I wake up."

?Finally, let's talk about Pointing to the Destination. This is about creating a vivid picture of where you're heading. Whether you're leading a team or working on personal goals, you need to paint a clear picture of success.

?The Heaths warn against using metrics as destinations. Instead, they encourage us to paint a rich, detailed picture of what the right destination looks like. One tool they suggest is the Champagne Test. It's a way to set clear, actionable goals that are easy to evaluate. Essentially, you want to define a moment when you would metaphorically "pop the champagne" to celebrate achieving your goal.

?For example, in a business context, instead of a vague goal like "improve customer service," a champagne test goal might be "receive our first customer-initiated compliment letter about our service." In your personal life, it might be "run a 5K without stopping."

?You have heard me say in other episodes that being able to clearly articulate what success looks like is a crucial part of achieving it. One of the best gifts you can give your people, and yourself, is the clear picture of what success means in the context of your change effort.

?Remember, directing the Rider is about providing clarity, whether you're influencing others or yourself. By finding bright spots, scripting critical moves, and pointing to the destination, you're giving your rational side the guidance it needs to lead the way.

?As leaders and individuals, we often fall into the trap of problem-solving. We see what's wrong and immediately try to fix it. But the bright spots approach flips this on its head. It asks us to find what's working and do more of that. This shift in perspective can be incredibly powerful in both our professional and personal lives.

?That's all for this episode. Next time, I’ll be tackling how to motivate the Elephant - our emotional side. Until then, keep looking for those bright spots, script those critical moves, and never lose sight of your destination.

If you want to listen to this on my podcast, you can access it at this LINK