Change Q

When it comes to change, reframing the relationship through questions is powerful. People often resist change and lose sight of reason. Imagine asking someone to use a rotary phone instead of their smartphone. Deep down, people know change is inevitable. Two types of questions can help: self-actualized questions about embracing and succeeding in change, and rating questions to gauge comfort and readiness. By asking these questions, we can help people embrace and act upon change positively. Again, when it comes to change, one of the most powerful things you can do is to reframe the relationship with change through questions. Now people will dig in their heels. Most people will rationally lose sight. They will actually become irrational. They become lacking logic when it comes to change. So think about this. Can you imagine, this is a very high level, almost an obnoxious view of change. What if you were to go up to someone and say, I want you to use this rotary phone. You have to spin, dial, and it takes a long time. My kids don't even know what those phones look like, and I want you to throw your Android or your iPhone away. But that way you wouldn't have had to have changed way back when. And people then get it, right? They know that change is inevitable. Deep down people know that. So one of the best things that you can do is to use two types of questions. One is a self-actualized question. What are you going to do to successfully embrace this change? What are you going to do to successfully put into action to succeed in this project? What are you going to do to embrace the activities that are required to follow through? Sometimes I don't even use the word change when I'm asking questions. But again, a self-actualized question is a what question plus a success imperative. Now one of the things I love to do is a rating question. Now obviously this project's got a lot of moving parts to it, and you can ask someone on a scale of one to six, six, you're comfortable, you're ready to go, you're loving this, you're going to put it into action, no excuse and no hesitation, you're going to follow through, you're going to have 100% accountability, or one, you're hesitant, you've got some trepidation, you've got maybe a little bit of butterflies. Where would you rate yourself as it relates to this new way of doing things, whatever that might be? And typically people will go in the middle. They might say, well, I'm about a two or a three, or I'm about a three or four. That's why you always use an even number. And that's the key part of the question. When they give you that middle number, and they typically give you the middle number, you say, what do we need to do, or what do we need to specifically do to move you towards a six in a short period of time? Because this movement, this change, this thing's coming. And it's amazing how many people will have those answers below the surface. So first a self-actualized question, and then a rating question is a great way to frame out how you can help people embrace and act upon change positively.