Delivering change is one of the biggest challenges facing leaders. As leaders we recognise the benefits of change yet helping others to recognise such benefits can prove a challenge.

Although it may sound extreme, pain is a great tool for helping people to tune into the benefits of change. The fact that pain motivates people to change has been known for a very long time. Recognising that people will go to much greater lengths to avoid pain than to seek pleasure, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle famously said

‘’the aim of the wise is not to secure pleasure, but to avoid pain’’.

Of course, we don’t want our employees and partners to feel pain, we do however want them to make informed decisions and to recognise the benefits of change. This requires leaders to help people to consider the reality of the situation, the upsides and the downsides, the pros and the cons.

Asking people to think about two questions can help them to hone in on what change really means to them:

• If I don’t make the change what issues will it cause for me? 
• If I do make the change what benefits will I receive?

Take the example of encouraging a reluctant supplier to use your new CRM system…….

If I don’t use the CRM what issues (pains) will it cause for me?

• We won’t get paid on time as there will be no visibility of what we’ve delivered.
• If we don’t get paid on time, then we won’t be able to pay the wages.
• We will fall down the supplier league table and our volumes will reduce.

If we do use the new CRM what benefits will we receive?

• We will save money as the time spent processing workflow will be reduced.
• My staff will be happier as there will be better communication and coordination.

Peoples pain (and stubbornness) thresholds are set at different levels so it may be the case that you need to go further with some people to trigger a motivation to change…..

• Relationships will get unpleasant as everything will be uncoordinated.
• We will be in breach of our contract and you will have grounds to terminate. 

If we do however use the new CRM;

• We will be towards the top of the supplier league table
• This will put us in a great position for a contract renewal with better terms and volumes

This situation would move the reluctant supplier from comprehending the pain of losing a contract, towards the pleasure of securing a new and more lucrative contract.

Which way do you think they will go? a no brainer right!

Leap the Crowd specialise in supporting change and transformation. Want to know more then get in touch.