Rational vs emotional aspects of change - Part 2
Maximising the value of emotions in change cases
Across most relevant studies its clear that emotional and rational aspects of a change effort play together to ensure successful outcomes: When hearts and minds activate together, momentum is created. While a seemingly very simple message most change efforts lack in either domain, effectively impacting outcomes.
Winning hearts doesn’t necessarily require you to hold rousing speeches or get lost in metaphor. In spite of the clear message from the scientific community, change managers tend to forget that people are - fundamentally - people: Irrational, emotional (and wonderful) beings that are as driven by what they feel and experience than what logic would dictate. When change efforts are supported by strong emotional activity in those impacted, messages tend to get through, engagement tends to be high and momentum created. So how do you create emotional commitment to a change management process that people likely never asked for in the first place?
Start out by sketching out a an experience journey for those impacted - When will they come into contact with the change, what sort of information will be presented/accessed? How are they likely to feel at different stages of the journey - Surprised? Worried? Excited?
Set aside time to work trough the storyline or change narrative - Challenge yourself to keep EVERY logical and rational assumption or fact out of this conversation, but solely based on what sort of feelings, emotions and you WANT to convey based on how you know the audience. Select an “archetype” for the messaging that you deem best suited to all change communications:
- A heroes’ journey encountering hardships
- While things are good, we take it upon us to get even better
- Challenger-stories on how we are tackling something in new ways
- The way things will feel post-change, the gains, the difference
Try really hard to create a story, anecdote, building on the organisations history, achievements/examples of actions taken by people in the company, and “ground” the narrative in YOUR environment. Refrain from sports metaphors, or other “not invented here” occurrences to make it truly about YOU. If you’re brave, take the opportunity to open up the conversation not just with a “so, what do you think about this” (Newsflash: You’ll rarely get very genuine answers) but rather ask:
- When we have completed these first few steps, how do you think it will feel?
- What will it mean for you to be on the other end of this, whats that like?
- This is going to take a lot of energy, effort and resources, what do you think will happen if we don't do this at all, whats that place like?
Sparking emotions with thoughtful planning starts with emotional experience mapping, and carefully crafted messages designed to elicit emotional responses and engagement. If you really want to take things up a notch - Create true experiences: Introduce end states with built and simulated physical environments to explore, create video content that highlights differences between as-is and to be, and don’t be afraid of using humour to convey the message. If you’re really bold, try and set up an experience where people connect to a powerful experience in relation to the value of the change effort - If, for example, a mental health initiative is to launch which will be continuously integrated in operations going forward, have someone in high regard in the organisation share their relationship to mental health serving as an inspiration, conveying the impact of the matter and allowing others to feel the need for the changes.
