Hello, you! If you’ve ever been a child, you know the feeling: Someone tells you, “do this!” And your first reaction is “no!” You never grew out of that feeling. It’s a phenomenon that psychologists refer to as reactance. And it is one of the most dangerous obstacles you face when you’re communicating change. It […]
How to Navigate Reactance and Gain Buy-In Read More »
In 1847, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis faced a grim puzzle. There were two maternity wards at the Viennese hospital where he worked, but each had a drastically different maternal mortality rate. In the ward run by the doctors, one of every five women died, while in the ward run by midwives, it was only one of
Change Isn’t Just an Action, It’s a Reaction Read More »
John Gall was an author, a pediatrician, and he was particularly interested in what makes complex systems work. And what he realized through his research was that all complex systems that work are based on simple systems that work. And thus, Gall’s Law was born. It’s because of this law that it’s possible for even
It’s Gall’s Law, Y’all! Read More »
When you’ve got an approach, initiative, or offering you know will bring much-needed change, you also know you can’t do it alone. You need people to become invested emotionally and intellectually so they’ll invest the time, energy, and money to bring about the impact you imagine.
Your Building Blocks of Buy-In Read More »
No one starts a change expecting it to fail. Whether you’re a leader of an organization that needs to change the way you do business or an innovator that wants to change how business gets done, you want—and maybe even need—that change to succeed.
The 9 Principles of Lasting Change Read More »
Three years ago, when I was mired in the midst of not-writing my last book, I asked my friend Ann Handley for advice. After all, she wrote a book called Everybody Writes.
Give them something they can’t unhear Read More »
If you’re trying to figure out the best place to start or anchor your message of change, the answer is always, “start with the question you exist to answer.”
The best place to start your message Read More »
When you’ve got a big change to make—in your organization, in the market, in the world—one question comes up over and over again: Where should you start?
Why your core claim comes first Read More »
I love a good worksheet. They help make complicated processes clear and bring all your ideas together in one place, where you can actually see what you’re working with. That kind of clarity is especially important when you’re building a new message or trying to strengthen an existing one.
Is your idea built for buy-in? Read More »
