Influencing and Persuading as a Part of Managing Change

¶ … Persuading as a Part of Managing Change

Influencing and persuading

Influencing people means making them want to do what you want them to do, not simply telling them to do something.

The most obvious means of persuading people is through the use of coercion, such as limiting the number of parking passes available to employees to reduce the number of cars and raising the fines for persons who park illegally in handicapped areas. The company can also publicize the need for handicapped parking to 'guilt' employees not to take spaces away from those employees who genuinely need such accommodations.

Most people 'want' to be green rather than hurt the environment. Begin with this common point of reference. Use what people are already persuaded of to change their behavior, such as their desire to save time and money. Do not use empty corporate slogans about 'team spirit' that employees are likely to see through.

While there might be little sympathy for those who take advantage of spaces for the handicapped, ticketing does not solve the problem of the need to reduce the number of cars as a whole at the facility. This type of coercion should only be one component of persuasion.

Active listening, questioning, and empathy are all components of understanding why individuals are engaging in their current types of behavior. Having a meeting with employees to determine why they do not feel that alternatives to single-use cars (such as public transport or carpooling) are viable alternatives will help the company structure incentives to modify employee behavior.

Highlight the advantages to taking public transportation. Send out flyers comparing the costs of public transport vs. using a car, and also the hassles of car parking.

Offer incentives, such as a financial bonus for employees who agree to not take their cars to work, or who can prove that they regularly participate in car pooling. Such non-punitive measures are less likely to draw fire from unions

Modeling behavior is essential. People will not be persuaded if they see the company leaders taking cars to work alone, yet are advised to curb their own use of vehicles. People are more likely to be persuaded by people of higher status and in a position of greater power than themselves

The Creative Design Company must be firm about policing truly egregious examples of employees breaking parking rules, such as illegal parking. But it must also understand the legitimate concerns of employees, such as the fact that public transport might take too long or be inconvenient.

Adjusting company start times so that they can be harmonious with the bus schedule or creating a 'ride board' at the company to make it easier to carpool are ways that the company can become more supportive and proactive, rather than punitive in its efforts to change behavior. Positive actions are more influential than negative actions.