Giving Change Leaders the Edge with Neuroscience

Giving change leaders the edge with neuroscience

A presentation from Anne Riches for SmartNet Education Leaders Forum 2015 © The Riches Group Pty. Ltd. All rights reserved.

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© The Riches Group Pty. Ltd

Change is the norm

CEDA Future of Work

2015

Disruptive platforms Pressure

(eg Coursera and edX)


Plenty of models

and advice


Fears Fear of unknown

Fear of change (SQ/CZ)

Fear of failure

Fear of future

Fear for personal security

Fear based on past

experiences


Beliefs

Values

Social setting

Personal situation

Habits of thinking

Past experiences

Personality

Education

Competencies

Economic cycle

Media

Implementation

Organisational setting

Leadership

Narrative Resistance


Clearly we don’t resist all change

Every brain is a change

soup

Every soup has different ingredients

Yet change initiatives

assume the same tastes


So why aren’t we more successful?

People do not talk openly about their fears

Under-estimate the need for change leadership

Failure to focus on the human side of transition

Do not utilise neuroscience (ie improve outcomes by focusing on the brain’s interpretation of change)

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2

3

4


Neuroscience and change Humans wired to avoid threats and seek rewards

Change creates ambiguity/uncertainty and triggers threat response

Unresolved threat reactions reduce prefrontal cortex/executive thinking

Brain networks involved in change same as primary survival skills

Psychological and physical threats not initially differentiated

Feelings of threat are contagious

Motivation to change influenced by minimizing threats and maximizing rewards

Intrinsic motivation may work better than extrinsic/instrumental motivators


Brain uses short cuts

2%

20%

25%


Patterns/ habits ANTs


Brain always

Acts to conserve energy

Wants certainty &

predictability

Continuously looks for patterns

Recognised ‘safe’ patterns save energy

Can focus on maximize

reward


However

Brain geared to notice change

Instantly responds if pattern is disrupted or unsafe (ANTs)

Can’t look to future until disruption or threat is dealt with (The Almond Effect®)

Brain triggers actions/behaviours to address threat (4 F’s)


Mental fatigue and stress

Impact of ANTs and The Almond Effect® (4Fs) in change?

Poor morale

Confused priorities Presenteeism Withdraw, don’t speak up or participate Assumptions not hard questions Overt and covert hostility – silent saboteurs

Work-arounds Overthinking, over- analyzing minutiae

Can't think straight or navigate complexity Toxic team members infecting the rest Defensiveness, whingeing, blaming, excuses

Revert back to old ways


Change fatigue

Simultaneous change

initiatives Curriculum Pedagogy

Testing Pay for performance

New corporate governance requirements

Digital transformation Local schools, local initiatives

Workplace bargaining


STAR approach

S T

A R

Stop

Think

Act

Rewire


Change initiatives underestimate

Complexity of dealing with

the human element

Time it will take

Strength of current patterns (comfort

zone)

Work needed to change patterns

Emotional responses

Fear and ANTs

Impact of stress


Common ineffective methods for dealing with resistance

Global research: ProSci 2014 http://www.change-management.com

Not listening to and

understanding concerns

2.

Ignoring it and expecting it to go away on its own

1.

Attempting to force a solution

3.

Under-estimating the

resistance

4.

Communicating ineffectively

5.

Change through the lens of neuroscience Understand the emotional component of workplace change

Involve stakeholders at macro level

Equip change leaders at micro level

Build certainty: eg clear narrative, vision, tactics, roles, milestones

Address employees’ ‘survival’ buttons

Communicate tirelessly with a focus on the emotions in change

Review history and culture for negatively reinforcing patterns and plan to minimise their impact

Scan for systems, processes, procedures etc that reinforce perceived fears and address them

Integrate neuroscientific based change strategies with the project management plan


How neuroscience can guide change leaders

Builds self-awareness

Offers evidence based neuroscience change strategies

Underscores power of patterns, fears, threats

Shows how change occurs in brain − neuroplasticity

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3 4

Coherence – narrative, i.e. why, bigger picture, benefits, risks

Congruency – across all policies, systems, processes

Consistency – behaviours, communications, repetition


At its simplest – neuroscience tells us people will change if ...

... they know where they’re going and why

... they feel included

... their emotions are

acknowledged and addressed

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White paper on The Almond Effect®


Giving Change Leaders the Edge with Neuroscience

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