Psychology of Change Farrokh Alemi, Ph.D.

Objectives Describe what works in changing behavior Assess potential likelihood of a project succeeding

Test of Management As Common Sense 1. If you pay someone for doing something they enjoy, they will come to like this task even more? 2. Most people prefer challenging jobs with a great deal of freedom and autonomy? 3. In bargaining with others it is usually best to start with a moderate offer -- near to the one you desire.

Test of Management As Common Sense 4. Most people are more concerned with the size of their own salary than with the salary of others. 5. The best way to stop a malicious rumor at work is to present covering evidence against it.

Test of Management As Common Sense 6. As morale or satisfaction among employees increases in any organization, overall performance almost always improves. 7. Providing employees with specific goals often interferes with their performance: they resist being told what to do.

Test of Management As Common Sense 8. When people work together in groups and know their individual contributions cannot be observed, each tend to put in less effort than when they work on the same task alone. 9. Most managers are highly democratic in the way that they supervise people. 10. In most cases, leaders should stick to their decisions once they have made them, even if it appears they are wrong.

Self Interest Motivates Change Extensive literature on Expectancy theory and Expected Utility Models They both predict individual behavior accurately People act in their self interest

Reasoned Action Behavior dynamically influences the environment and vice versa. Individuals learn what to expect through their own experience and through their social groups. Individuals learn through reinforcements and rewards they receive from their behavior

Problem With Self-interest Many do not do what they wish to do Many change by imitating the behavior of others they admire and not by deciding Many are not aware of their options nor willing to gather the necessary information Arguments based on self-interest is likely to lead to blame and fear

Methodological Problems 1. The innovation itself changes. 2. Adoption is a matter of degree.

Other Than Self Interest: Help Them Understand Information processing capacity is limited. Motivation determines extent of search. Attention changes. Perception may differ from the actual information. Information evaluated as gathered. Deciding based on not what is best but how to get by. Failure to learn from experience.

Other Than Self Interest: Explain Your Reasons Perception of cause is important Changing attribution Locus of causation. Is the person the cause or events outside the person? Controllability. Could the person have controlled the cause? Stability. Is the cause stable or changing over time? Globallity. Does the cause affect a wide variety of outcomes or specific events?

Other Than Self Interest: Shoulder to Lean on Clarify how support will help? Buffer hypothesis. Direct effect. Personality characteristic. Transactional. Send them to conferences, set up coffee breaks, etc.

Other Than Self Interest: Let Others Do Your Work Check that following is not happening: Innovation failure. Communication failure. Adoption failure. Implementation failure. Maintenance failure. Teach the trainers. Early adopters decide, later adopters imitate.

Other Than Self Interest: Market Your Improvement Break employees into different segments Send mass media advocating your improvement (storyboard, s, etc.) Effective in setting agenda Effective in reminding

Other Than Self Interest: Change the Technology Reengineering uses technology to redesign business processes Removes the adoption choice

Self-interest Strategies 61% change work norms 55% walk key employees through change 22% share written reports 14% Adjust budgets

Other Than Self Interest 52% use storyboards 52% use team membership 37% use reminders 35% get early adopters to speak to others 35% use mass media 16% set examples at top 12% gather people engaged in change