If you’re like some of the leaders that I’m working with or you took action from last week’s newsletter, you’re probably trying something new. How are you getting on with it? Existing habits and routines make it more difficult to adopt new behaviour. This is also something to keep in mind if you’re a leader instigating change in your organisation. People might revert to old language, behaviour and habits. But reacting with punishment or ridicule doesn’t help with behavioural change. Instead, look to add positive feedback loops to reinforce desired behaviour.

For your personal change, it might be about rewarding yourself when you hit a small goal (like a 7-day streak of the new behaviour). In your organisations, this might be about giving recognition (positive reinforcement) to people in your team who are demonstrating the desired behaviour and encouraging others to do the same.

If you have trouble changing old behaviours, think about removing the trigger (or cue), such as when Google experimented to keep unhealthier snacks harder to access or put sweetened drinks behind healthier alternatives (medium paywall warning). Try using the “out of sight, out of mind” in a positive way by making the trigger harder or impossible to reach.

Your challenge this week is to forgive yourself if you are already breaking your new year resolution. Try adding in a reward or removing the cue for unwanted behaviour. Reflect on how this might apply to your teams.

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