Successful behavior change can be simple, if done correctly. Here, we cover three steps needed to activate behavior change.

No matter the behaviors that you want to adjust or develop, whether that's promoting better security practices, developing power skills, or encouraging clearer feedback, there are several steps you'll need to take to activate behavior change.

Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of how to actually change behavior, it's important to note that change is a process, not an event.

With that in mind, let's look at the three steps to successful behavior change:

1. Identify the Behaviors That Need to Be Changed

Before you can change a behavior, you need to first identify the current status quo. By analyzing the current situation, you'll be able to map out a plan to get from where you are to where you want to be.

In order to achieve the goal of behavior change, you need to have a deep understanding of what people are currently doing and identify anything that may block people from changing their behaviors.

Say, for example, that you want to develop your security practices. You would need to identify the practices that are already in place within your organization and any possible obstacles to achieving the desired change.

The obstacles you might face could be related to the equipment, programs, or systems you are using. Alternatively, they could be related to the people within the organization – i.e. mindset, lack of knowledge, or motivation-related.

In the example above, an analysis could look something like this:

Current Behaviors

Obstacles to Change

Desired Behaviors

Many employees are logged into different websites using the same password

People lack sufficient knowledge of secure practices

Employees use extremely secure passwords and use a different one for each website they access

Although a strong-password generator is available, people do not use it

People do not have time to change all of their passwords

People actively use the password management system available

Employees regularly miss security updates for applications

People do not know when updates are available for their applications

Employees always update applications as soon as possible

Company data can be accessed through employees' unsecured mobile devices

People do not know how to check the security levels on their mobile devices

Employees secure all of their devices so that no company data can be accessed by unauthorized personnel

 

2. Implement New Behaviors to Drive the Desired Results

Now that you know what current behaviors are in place, and the obstacles that are present, you are able to implement new behaviors. To really see a change in the behavior of staff, you need to ensure that you address the obstacles to change in your solution.

Without addressing those obstacles, you won't be able to make the learning 'stick'. In some cases, your obstacles will be simple to address; specifically if it is hardware related. For example, if you find that company notebooks regularly fall victim to viruses, a simple solution may be to install anti-virus software. However, when your obstacles are more related to the way people think, it can be trickier to implement new behaviors.

Following on from the example above, your new behaviors (or solutions) need to be the link between what people are currently doing and what you want them to be doing, taking into account the obstacles to change.

Visually, you could look at it like this:

Current Behaviors

Obstacles to Change

Solution Design

Desired Behaviors

Many employees are logged in to different websites using the same password

People lack sufficient knowledge of secure practices

Make people aware of security best practices, and develop the habit of creating a new, secure password for each website accessed

Employees use extremely secure passwords and use a different one for each website they access

Although a strong-password generator is available, people do not use it

People do not have time to change all of their passwords

Develop the habit of actively using the password generator and set reminders to update passwords regularly

People actively use the password management system available

Employees regularly miss security updates for applications

People do not know when updates are available for their applications

Notify staff when updates are available and get them into the habit of instantly installing them

Employees always update applications as soon as possible

Company data can be accessed through employees' unsecured mobile devices

People do not know how to check the security levels on their mobile devices

Develop the habit of regularly checking device security and always using multi-factor authentication

Employees secure all of their devices so that no company data can be accessed by unauthorized personnel

 

3. Review the Data and Make Adjustments as Necessary

With your new behaviors in place, it's time to review the data. Did the changes give you the results you were looking for? Where is there room for improvement?

In almost all cases, there will be room for improvement. The key to actually bettering this is to understand why the changes were not 100% successful. Further, to drive the new, good behaviors you've implemented, you will need to continually prompt people to reinforce those behavioral habits. Remember, change is a process.

Thus, activating behavior changes comes down to a few key elements, which are at the core of Cognician's programs:
  • Action: Learners are given actions to complete to aid their understanding of a topic. By completing the actions, learners showcase that they are invested in their learning.
  • Follow Through: Learners are encouraged to follow through with their given activities. These activities are designed to affect something within them or in their environment that will enable change.
  • Reflection: Once learners have followed through, they are encouraged to share an insight. This allows them to reflect on their experiences in a personalized way.
  • Social Engagement: When learners like and comment on other learners' insights, it illustrates that those insights affect others in the group and social learning is initiated.

    If you're struggling with an organizational problem and need help designing or implementing a solution, you might want to consider making use of a company that specializes in designing learning software.