Unlock the secret to transform your life: Uncover the hidden barriers keeping you from making lasting change.

Day - ?? Transformational Tuesday

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Are you feeling stuck in your career or personal life? Do you want to make a change but keep finding yourself falling back into old habits?

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You're not alone! Even doctors who work with high-risk heart patients who have been told they need to change or risk dying indicate that?only 1 out of 7 is able to make the recommended changes.

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?? Are you a leader having a hard time making changes in your organization? Do you ever feel like you're up against a brick wall?

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If so, perhaps it's time to consider using the Immunity to Change model to transform things. The Immunity to Change model, developed by Harvard professors Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, is a powerful tool for uncovering the hidden barriers that keep us from making lasting change.?

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??? We all have a kind of emotional immune system that protects us from the anticipated potential negative effects of change. The job of your emotional immune system is to?keep the status quo?and protect you from the emotional dangers that might result from you making significant changes in your life.

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?? But the assumptions about life that helped us develop this immune system might not be relevant anymore.?Changing our behavior is surprisingly difficult because our core beliefs are often the result of deeply ingrained behaviors that arise from childhood emotional survival strategies.

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Change often fails because people focus solely on their behavior, but most efforts require not only changes to a person’s skill set, but also adaptive changes to a person’s mindset.?According to Kegan, this approach is “a way of helping people take a kind of mental X-ray, a picture of your own mindset,” so that to see “the ways in which your mental system may actually be in some ways making errors or distortions that keep you from letting new ideas come into your head which in fact can allow you to change your behavior.” It helps you identify the beliefs and assumptions that are holding you back, and provides a step-by-step process for challenging those beliefs and creating a new, more empowering mindset.

?? Step 1: Identify the goal. It is best to focus on a single goal that is important to you and would make a big impact as you get better at this.??Ideally this may be a goal or behavior that is also important to others such as your boss or co-workers or perhaps if it is a personal goal it would be something that is important to your spouse and kids.

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?? Step 2: Identify the competing commitments. What are you doing that is perhaps the opposite of the?goal or desired behavior? Take a non-judgmental inventory of everything you are doing that?works?against?your improvement goal. Focus on concrete behaviors and be honest! Spend time on a deep dive examination in this step. The more honest you are now, the easier it will be for you to identify root causes later.?Do not?explain reasons yet, just?focus on identifying the behaviors.

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?? Step 3: Identify the big assumptions. What core beliefs are driving these competing commitments?

Consider the additional criteria below for each of your big assumptions:

• Some assumptions will be true and others you may be unsure if you believe.?Ask yourself if the assumption is true?
• Each big assumption, if taken as true, should make one of your commitments inevitable.
• Identify as many assumptions that are related to this goal. Brainstorm possible big assumptions and test them against the above criteria until you feel you have identified them all.

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?? Step 4: Test the assumptions. Encourage yourself or others to question these assumptions and look for evidence that contradicts them. Besides asking if the assumption is true, be sure to examine the basis for these assumptions.?Could it be that there is a misperception or misinterpretation??

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??? Step 5: Create new habits.?What is going to help you on your journey to becoming the best version of yourself??Consider that the assumption didn't exist, how would you feel, behave and experience things differently?

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Let's take quick look at how the Immunity to Change model can be applied in a business and personal setting.

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???Business Example: Imagine you're the CEO of a mid-sized company, and you want to improve your team's ability to innovate and take risks.

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1. Identify the goal. Your goal is to create a culture of innovation and risk-taking within your team.
2. Identify the competing commitments. What are the beliefs or assumptions that are keeping your team members from taking risks? Perhaps they're worried about failing, or they believe that sticking with what's worked in the past is the safest option.
3. Identify the big assumptions. What core beliefs are driving these competing commitments? For example, your team members may believe that failure is unacceptable, or that taking risks is reckless and irresponsible.
4. Test the assumptions. Encourage your team members to question these assumptions and look for evidence that contradicts them. For example, they may find that failure is an inevitable part of the innovation process, and that taking calculated risks can lead to breakthroughs and new opportunities.
5. Create new habits. With these new insights, your team members can start to develop new habits that support a culture of innovation and risk-taking. They might start by setting aside time each week to brainstorm new ideas, or by encouraging each other to take small, calculated risks and learn from the results.

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??? ?? ?? ?? Personal Example: Imagine that you'd like to lose weight.

1. Identify the goal. Your goal is to lose weight and get in shape.
2. Identify the competing commitments. What are the beliefs or assumptions that are keeping you from losing weight? Perhaps you believe that healthy food is bland and unappetizing, or that you don't have time to exercise.
3. Identify the big assumptions. What core beliefs are driving these competing commitments? For example, you may believe that healthy food is expensive and time-consuming to prepare, or that exercise is painful and unpleasant.
4. Test the assumptions. Question these assumptions and look for evidence that contradicts them. For example, you may find that healthy food can be tasty and satisfying if you prepare it in the right way, and that exercise can be enjoyable if you find an activity you enjoy.
5. Create new habits. With these new insights, you can start to develop new habits that support your weight loss goals. You might start by meal planning and preparing healthy meals in advance, or by finding a workout buddy to make exercise more enjoyable and keep you accountable.

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Remember, change can be challenging, but by using the Immunity to Change model, you can uncover the hidden barriers that are holding you back and create a new, more empowered mindset. With practice and persistence, you can transform yourself and achieve your goals, both in your personal and professional life.

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?? Reflective Questions:

• What is the change you want to make, and what are the competing commitments that are holding you back?
• What are the underlying assumptions driving these competing commitments?
• How can you test these assumptions and challenge them with new evidence?
• What new habits can you develop to support your desired change? How will you hold yourself accountable for these habits?

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If you liked this newsletter, please like, share and comment to help others find it as well!

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P.S.?I’d invite you to view this brief talk from Robert Kegan and to use this Immunity Map template to explore the immune system that may be preventing you from making an important change

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Look forward to helping you build the confidence and skills to excel as a leader.

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