There is no shortage of information out there. All sorts of books, videos and podcasts provide you with information about anything you want. So why is it that so many of us, when it comes to changing our behavior, fail? I figure the problem has to do with an elephant…a rather unruly one.
Elephant?
This elephant was depicted well in a recent article by Margaret Wente in the Globe and Mail article, Taming My Elephant and Yours. Based on the work of psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the argument is that behavior change around things like eating, exercise, and saving money can be incredibly difficult because of how our brains are wired. Wente describes our conscious reasoning self as being like a rider on an elephant. The elephant, on the other hand, is the emotional, primal, and older part of our brain that can easily override the commands or wishes of the rider.
Bad Elephant.
In business, pernicious myths abound that might keep your elephant fat, happy, and firmly in control. The first one being that if you were really a good leader, you’d be able to figure out whatever problem you have on your own. In other words, you’d simply be able to direct the elephant at will. Another, more personal belief/myth, is that if you were a really capable person, you’d be able to overcome any challenge and make your elephant jump through any hoop. Have you ever dealt with these? I have.
I’ve observed many people buying into these myths, most unknowingly. Sadly, many corporate training programs reinforce this. The promise goes something like this, “attend this workshop or read this book and you, or your employee, will become a better leader/motivator/communicator/etc/etc/etc”…magically! If only it were so easy…
Elephant Management.
Staying motivated and getting the results you want is something a workshop, book, video or podcast simply can’t give you. While helpful, these tools can’t constantly help you fine tune your efforts along the way. They can’t provide you critical feedback in real time in real situations you face. They can’t help you learn how to manage your elephant as it resists your desires. How many times have you gone back to work after your training session and thought, “Well that was nice…but now how in the heck am I going the apply this?”
You need more than just information to bust through resilient behavior patterns and get the elephant in control. You need to partner with an expert. You need someone to help you stay motivated and inspired through challenging times when the elephant is trying to get the better of you. I am not saying that books and information in all their varied forms are a bad thing. Quite the opposite. I’m simply saying that partnering with an expert, like a seasoned coach, is about learning to apply those newly learned ideas to your personal or professional world, day in and day out while keeping the elephant, or your old behaviors, in check. It is really about getting results more efficiently, quickly and with less stress.
What has kept you from accomplishing your goals in the past? Has there been an unruly elephant blocking the way?
Are you ready to get your elephant to heel?
Doug, great article. So relevant to all organizations and their employees. Companies put a lot of money into workshops or seminars where their staff return to their busy desks and don’t have time to implement what they just learned. A coach is a great way to have someone there to help keep you pointed in the right direction on a continuous basis.
Cheers, Ken.
Great article! So often, we as HR/OD professionals design learning as an ‘event’ rather than a process that occurs over time. Some of my best learning moments have been on the job with an ‘ah-ha’ moment, and plenty of coaching from a great leader.
Doug – Great article and so very true! Training in isolation makes so very little sense for either the learner or the organization. For learning to really occur, the learner needs to have an opportunity to explore and experience the new skills on a conscious level with intention. With time the learning become part of how they do what they do as the learner moves from a conscious level to an unconscious level of competence. I agree that coaching is an excellent way to support and reinforce learning so it become integrated into the learner’s life.