LeadingMinds Tipo 146: The New President's Secret Society

The New President's Secret Science of Change?

Imagine you'll see a telegram tomorrow morning on your desk, from a trusted source, specifying the following:

"Secret society for change.  STOP.  Twenty-nine world's leading behaviourial scientists.  STOP.  Advising President Obama on best way to position policy and messaging to create greatest influence, change and momentum.  STOP.  Applies to organisations also.  STOP.  Cutting edge research.  STOP.  My sources only available this month for further details.  STOP."

Would it read like an 'Illuminati' style conspiracy theory?  Well, actually, it's true!

'The Consortium of Behavioural Scientists' is a secret (was a secret - sorry, guys!) advisory group of twenty nine of the world's most influential, leading edge researchers; folk such as Tversky, Kahneman, Thaler, Sunstein, Ariely, Akerloff, Shiller and Cialdini, from respected Universities such as MIT, Chicago, Arizona and Princeton.  Perhaps these names are new to you, but their work been changing the landscape of how we understand change, choice, economics and behaviour over the last number of years with statistically validated research.

In their research they have isolated certain laws and core principles that govern our judgment and behaviour.  Certain core beliefs about humans crop up again and again in these writings:

The teachings of the secret twenty-nine are partly responsible for the record voter turnout in the last US election.  They pushed the button of 'Social Proof' (the 'sheep factor') very heavily using the message "We're expecting a record turnout" as a central theme to motivate the masses, since most of us like to do what everyone else is doing.  After all, it's safer with the herd.

Given that many other exciting principles such as inertia, perceptual contrast, expectancy, consistency, frames, scarcity, reciprocity, sequence and authority are now being used consciously in politics, business and media to get things moving in the right direction, I'll wrap up by leaving you pondering the answer to this question:

"What if only 10% of the success of your change initiative hinges upon the proposed solution itself and the mechanics supporting it, while 90% hinges upon people responding favourably to that message, overcoming inertia and becoming evangelists for the cause?  As a forward-looking organisation, what steps are you taking to craft the messaging, at all levels, in a way that brings sustainable results?"

This week's call to action:

• Addendum: Upon closer inspection of this telegram, you realise it was dated FIVE weeks ago.  You missed this window that everybody else has taken advantage of, putting you behind the competition.  Get in touch with us now to start a conversation - don't miss the ball on this one.
• Email us for a list of great books and podcasts on social psychology and behavioural economics (some easygoing, others more involved) that might just give you the edge when driving change in your organisation
• Get in touch, but only if you have a specific change challenge that you would like help communicating.
• Watch Barack Obama's latest speech in Cairo where he delivered an unprecented speech calling for a new beginning for the US and Muslim communities around the world.

Everyone's getting in on it - how will you?