Looking at our own motivations.

So the green track is to revisit a behaviour that you are struggling to change in yourself.  And to map it out using the Force Field Analysis tool – You can find a copy of it in the Pack section below.

At the top of the Flipchart write “Hmmm, shall I [X}’ where X is the behaviour you want to increase. Then, start on the left and write down all of the things that encourage and support that behaviour. What you know; how you feel; what you get back; why it’s good; skills or knowledge; what it means; …  And then, on the right, list all of the obstacles that hold you back or drain your enthusiasm. Difficulties; awkwardness; consequences; cost; effort; distraction, …

Try and get everything down – even the small stuff. It really helps to have a complete picture. To name some of those things that you haven’t really questioned before. Now, just circle three things. The things can be on either list. But they should be choices that are relatively easy to improve. And things which would really help shift the balance positively. Things which increase the encouragement and/or reduce the demotivation.

What you do with them is up to you. But hopefully you will get the sense that bringing them out in the open has given you just a bit more control over the situation.

Making your team more effective

For the blue track you could simple extend what you did in the green track with your team. And, if you want to accelerate some change within your team, that will be fine. But if you are up for something else then I would encourage you to consider the following.

The most common use of the Forcefield Analysis is in looking at what influences the behaviours of others. And it would be good to develop some practice in this.

Increasingly, your team’s effectiveness is likely to depend on other teams who support or enact your conclusions to deliver its benefit to the business. It may be however, that their efforts don’t have the full impact or speed that you hoped for. To understand why, you might use the ForceField Analysis to explore their motivation in their efforts to implement or progress your ideas.

Write at the top of the Force Field Template “Hmm shall we … [X] ?” where X is the behavioural change you require in them. Then try thinking of them in their situation – putting yourself in their shoes. And ask what encouragements and discouragements you experience in enacting that behaviour. You may gather some surprising insights.

And, depending on what you have on your Force Field, you might share it with them, and together think through what might be missing. And then, as with the green track, circle three things that might be good to improve.

Making change more effective

Thinking about motivation is something we don’t tend to do enough. Too often a project finishes with a set of actions or conclusions, and that is it! But how well do we explore the mindsets of those who are the recipients, beneficiaries, or custodians of that change? Thinking about what it feels like to them?

So the Red track is nothing more than a decision to make Force Field Analysis a regular part of any change your team undertakes. Thinking about motivations in this structured way takes minute, but it can save you weeks, months, even years, in gaining the buy-in and commitment you need to embed that change into people’s routines.