Proven Strategies for Business Growth & Success
Change is hard, we all know it. Just take a look at your New Year’s resolutions that often fade away by February 1st. Now, imagine trying to create a successful transformation in your business something much more significant, like adapting to shifting market conditions or meeting evolving customer expectations. How do you make a real difference in a world that feels like it’s stacked against you?
The book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, the Heath brothers use a compelling analogy that might just change the way you approach the transformation process. Picture this: a circus. Under the big top are the elephants and their riders. The elephant represents the emotional side of decision-making, while the rider is the logical, analytical part of our brain.
The challenge is to get both the rider and the elephant working together, especially during complex transformations. The elephant’s emotional drive is powerful, but it often wants quick results. The rider is rational and longs for a clear, logical path. Together, they can create incredible outcomes. Here's how you can tap into both the rider and the elephant to drive meaningful change in your business and ensure long-term success.
Directing the Rider
The rider is the logical decision-maker. To get him on board, you need a clear management strategy. This starts by identifying "bright spots" things that are already working well in your business.
Finding the Bright Spots
In the 1990s, Jerry Sternin worked with Save the Children to address rampant malnutrition in Vietnam. Instead of following the conventional advice to improve sanitation and clean drinking water, Sternin focused on the “bright spots” families who were managing to keep their children healthy despite poverty. They discovered these families were feeding their children four times a day and supplementing their diet with shrimp and crab from rice paddies. By sharing this knowledge with others, they spread healthy practices across communities.
The key takeaway? Don’t get bogged down by what’s not working. Look for what’s going well, no matter how small, and build on it to create successful transformations.
Script the Critical Moves
Every business faces challenges that require tough decisions. Alexandre Behring, president of a privatized railway system in Brazil, faced a massive infrastructure crisis but only had a fraction of the necessary funds. He created a set of "critical moves" that would steer the company toward recovery:
Invest in projects that unlock short-term revenue.
Choose cost-effective options, even if they cost more long-term.
Focus on quick fixes that provide immediate impact.
Reuse and recycle existing materials rather than buying new ones.
For any business leader, identifying and scripting these transformation efforts is crucial. What are your make-or-break factors? Define them and act decisively.
Point to the Destination
Your rider loves data, charts, and analysis. But too much analysis can lead to paralysis. Instead of getting lost in spreadsheets, point to a compelling destination—a clear, inspiring vision that guides your team. Bill Gates did this when he launched Microsoft. He didn’t just want to sell computers; he wanted "a computer on every desk and in every home." That vision was a destination and a compelling reason to stay on course.
Motivating the Elephant
Now, let’s talk about the elephant—the emotional driver. The elephant reacts quickly, often seeking instant gratification. To motivate the elephant, you need effective communication, shrink the change, and grow your people.
Find the Feeling
Change isn’t about logic alone; it’s about emotions. Consider the story of Pam Omidyar, who created a video game called Re-Mission to motivate teenage cancer patients to take their medicine. The game turned their treatment into a battle against cancer cells. By engaging the players emotionally, the game doubled the chances of survival for those who played it. This shows that emotions play a huge role in behavior change.
When you introduce a transformation process, don’t just present the facts. Make it feel meaningful. Get your team emotionally invested in the change.
Shrink the Change
One of the hardest things about change is taking that first step. It’s not the workout at the gym that’s tough—it’s getting in the car to go there. To make change more accessible, break down large goals into manageable steps.
For example, a car wash ran a promotion where half the customers got loyalty cards with eight spots to fill, while the other half got cards with ten spots, but two stamps were already filled. The results? The second group was 15% more likely to complete the promotion and got their free wash faster. The lesson? People are more motivated when they feel they’ve already made progress.
Grow Your People
People identify with certain roles or labels. To drive long-term success, give your team a new identity. Brasilita, a steel can manufacturer in Brazil, turned its employees into “innovators” by signing them up for an innovation contract. As a result, the company became a leader in technological advancements in Latin America. When people see themselves in a certain role, they act in alignment with that identity.
Shaping the Path
To ensure effective leadership, sometimes the situation—not just the people—needs to change. The environment plays a huge role in decision-making.
Tweak the Environment
You might think a person’s behavior is determined by who they are, but often, it’s the environment they’re in. Take Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer. He teaches pet owners how to create an environment that encourages positive behavior in their dogs. If your team isn’t acting the way you want, consider changing the environment to make the right behavior easier and the wrong behavior harder.
Build Habits
Habits are powerful because they allow actions to occur automatically. To build habits, create action triggers. For example, Peter Gollwitzer’s research showed that students who set clear intentions, like “I’ll write the report next Saturday after my workout,” were 75% more likely to complete the task. When people commit to specific actions, they’re more likely to follow through.
Rally the Herd
Humans are social creatures. We look to others to understand how to behave. A simple sign in a hotel bathroom asking guests to reuse towels worked better when it included the statement, “The majority of our guests reuse their towels at least once.” Social proof motivates people to follow the herd.
Change is tough. Whether you're leading a complex transformation, shifting market conditions, or guiding a team through market shifts, it’s all about understanding the psychology behind decision-making and taking actionable steps. By directing the rider, motivating the elephant, and shaping the path, you can ensure long-term success.
Ready to make a change in your business? Join The Swarm by becoming part of the Limitless Leaders Club a community of business leaders focused on successful transformations.
Or if you’re ready to scale your business with expert support, Hire a Marketing Sidekick to help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of technological advancements and market shifts.
