How to get anyone to do anything — fast.
Have you ever been asked to make a change you don’t really want to make? Have you ever tried to get others to change? What worked and what didn’t?
Those were some key questions explored during this month’s Business Book Review session held by my friend and business consultant Shawn Kinkade. Shawn discussed “Instant Influence: How to Get Anyone To Do Anything – Fast” by Michael Pantalon, and Shawn’s summary was excellent as always. (Sign up here to get on Shawn’s event invite list.)
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Pantalon is a Ph.D psychologist and his book came out of a project he was asked to work on that involved helping emergency room doctors motivate their patients into healthier behaviors. On average, they only have seven minutes with their patients so he came up with a quick and easy outline for a “Motivational Interview.”
Instant Influence is based on three key principles that must be understood for the process to work:
- No one absolutely has to do anything, the choice is always yours. We’re all wired to do the opposite of what we are told.
- Everyone already has enough motivation from within. When you discover your own reasons for change, or help others find their reasons, you are much more likely to act on those ideas.
- Focusing on a tiny bit of motivation works much better than focusing on resistance. When what we believe and say doesn’t match up, we try to get them in synch which is why the Biggest Loser TV program has contestants actually say out loud what they would do if they were thinner and healthier. (e.g., “If I weren’t overweight, I’d love to to go to the beach.”)
Here are some highlights of Pantalon’s process for motivating others:
Step 1: Why might you want to change? The structure of this question is very important. “Might” reinforces autonomy – it’s your choice. “You want” reinforces that you need to own the issue.
Step 2: How ready are you to change on a scale of 1 to 10? You’re looking to help gauge motivation and also stay flexible and positive.
Step 3: Why didn’t you pick a lower number? It prompts someone to defend and explain the motivation they already have. It focuses on existing motivation, not resistance.
Step 4: Imagine you’ve changed. What would it look like? This deepens the commitment and enhances visualization of the positive outcome.
Step 5: Why are these positive outcomes important? The more personal and important the reasons are, the more likely we are to do something.
Step 6: What’s the next step, if any? This moves to the “how” of change. “If any” preserves autonomy once again.
Headlocks don’t work. Personal responsibility and the fire within are the only two factors that can drive true, lasting change. Unlock those and you will have people running through walls — not for you — but for themselves.
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