Changing things requires directing the Rider and motivating the Elephant

For most people, change is hard. In order to successfully bring about change, it is necessary to address both aspects of the human mind: the emotional side and the rational side. Psychologist Jonathan Haidt illustrates this by use of an analogy: “our emotional side is an Elephant and our rational side is its Rider. Perched atop the Elephant, the Rider holds the reins and seems to be the leader. But the Rider’s control is precarious because the Rider is so small relative to the Elephant. Anytime the six-ton Elephant and the Rider disagree about which direction to go, the Rider is going to lose. He’s completely overmatched.”[1] Neither aspect of the mind is better or worse than the other—they have complimentary strengths and weaknesses that must be accounted for.

If you want to change things, you’ve got to appeal to both. The Rider provides the planning and direction, and the Elephant provides the energy. So if you reach the Riders of your team but not the Elephants, team members will have understanding without motivation. If you reach their Elephants but not their Riders, they’ll have passion without direction. In both cases, the ɻaws can be paralyzing. A reluctant Elephant and a wheel-spinning Rider can both ensure that nothing changes. But when Elephants and Riders move together, change can come easily.[2]

In Switch, Chip and Dan Heath use this metaphor to suggest a framework for bringing about change when change is hard.[3]

1- Direct the Rider

2- Motivate the Elephant

3- Shape the Path

#change #psychology #leadership

See also:

  1. Switch – Heath and Heath (2010), ch. 1, § 4. ↩︎

  2. Ibid. ↩︎

  3. Ibid., § “How to Make a Switch.” ↩︎