One in eight people who survive a heart attack change their lifestyle to avoid another attack. One in eight. (see FastCompany’s May 2005 cover story here: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/94/open_change-or-die.html So how can marketers, organizational development professionals, anyone, get people to change ingrained habits? A simple example: changing a standard light bulb. I expect most of us have done this. It is easy, inexpensive, and one thing you don’t have to say, “I know a guy who does…(insert plumbing, carpentry, landscaping, etc. here). Yet there are more energy efficient, longer lasting bulbs that have been on the market for quite some time: the Compact Flouresent (CF) bulb (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls). There is every reason in the world to use them: economics (save as much as $66 over a bulb’s life), environment (reduction in greenhouse gases, mercury and more), geopolitical (bulb-switching alone can stem the import of foreign oil). Let’s discuss change management: why hasn’t everyone switched to these bulbs? Why haven’t you?

Joe Raasch :: Jan.03.2007 :: Change Management :: 3 Comments »