Rewire the brain

• why break something that is not broken?
• we are OK
• no thanks
• no offence, but we have been doing this for many years, and it is the best by far
• I can’t see the benefits

Are these responses familiar to you?

I have been dealing with these responses for all my working life. So to understand how to deal with change management better, I set out to find the successful change models in the world today? Surprisingly there are many successful models. Not surprisingly, these models overlap in some aspects because they all deal with ONE issue: changing people’s mindsets.

As a continuation of my research in change management, this is the first of a few models that I plan to put up on this blog. This first model was one of the very first that I have used that made a massive improvement in me and my team.

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Model 1 – Rewire the brain

Research into how the brain works gained traction in the last 50 years shows that we now know clinically why people resist change. It has been shown that our brain is a set of connections that looks like a series of maps. When a new idea is introduced, our brain looks for normal maps, and the idea is readily accepted if the maps are already in place. If the maps are not there, it creates a conflict, and it will be difficult for the person to accept the new idea. This is why at a party of strangers, you will single out people similar to you to have a conversation.

So to bring about change in mindset, the person must be able to create new maps (or connections). How do we go about that?

In his book Quiet Leadership, Dr David Rock deals with how to create new connections in the brain. I have used this method successfully, and I will describe it based on my personal experience.

Here are the steps that I took:

• If someone comes to you asking for solutions, do not provide the answers; instead, help them make new connections.
• Begin by getting permission. Use “May I ask about…” or “Can we discuss…” By asking for permission, you demonstrate respect, and when permission is granted, the person is more ready to accept what you have to say.
• Next, set the scene. Some examples are ” Let’s go through your questions again…”, ” So you are looking to solve….” or ” Let’s decide what we want to achieve…”.This method will also bring the discussion back on track if it has strayed.
• Ask “What are they thinking about the subject in question..” or “How long have you been thinking about it..”. This will get the person to start to THINK. This is where the brain begins to make new connections.
• After the first thinking question, go back to ask permission and set the scene again. Then, move on to probe a bit further. Examples are ” Why do you think it is so?” or ” Can you explain further?”. Ask Why five times if it is appropriate.

Questions should be broad and not specific, do not be judgemental in words or facial expressions and don’t rush. Be prepared to spend some time.

When to stop? I stop when the person has come up with their solutions. Most of the time, you can see in their eyes that they just had a new revelation. It is called the “Aha” moment. That’s when they have made the new connection.

Be prepared to know that it is not always successful.

My experience was some people tend to get annoyed after a few questions because all they wanted was a solution and not a discussion. When I sense that, either I push further to see if they get new connections or l offer my solution. But I will still ask them what they THINK about my proposed solution(s).

Don’t give up using this method. It will take time, and the result is long-lasting.

Does this method work?

This method changed me from a totalitarian manager to an understanding and empowering manager.

My team has lost dependence on me providing them with the answers; instead, they found empowerment to develop their solutions. They came to work happier and charged up. They came up with solutions that I can’t even think of.

For me, this coaching tool was the foundation of all my transformation programs.

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Reference

Quiet Leadership by David Rock; Harpers Collins.