Why should you imagine your customers as elephants?

For your innovation to be adopted, someone will have to change their behavior. They may need to buy a different product, change a daily routine, or revise a worldview. Each of these actions represents a change from the status-quo, which is difficult. Whenever I'm traveling, I end up eating at Panera Bread, where I always get the Mediterranean veggie sandwich with a whole grain baguette and two packages of butter. How many different items do you order at your favorite restaurant? Even if you change your order every time, there are still lots of people out there like me. So, how do you encourage the change we need? In this module you will evaluate ways to overcome barriers and make change.

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair

"'Because that's the way we've always done it.' Those are the eight worst words..." - Bill Simmons

Making change

Play media comment.

Reading

Learn about the Elephant and Rider model to make change by watching these short presentations (Part 1 Links to an external site., Part 2 Links to an external site.) and by reading this overview Links to an external site. and this framework Download framework

Read this Summary of Diffusion of Innovations Links to an external site.

Tweet your epiphany (include "#150tons") Links to an external site.

For more information

The elephant and rider framework is described in the excellent book Switch:  Links to an external site.How to Change Things When Change Is Hard Links to an external site. by Chip and Dan Heath. 

Read "Without Hot Air" Links to an external site. Chapters 29, 31, and 32