Change Management

Why 'Change the Person' Strategies Fail

This sounds reasonable, but why do these strategies fall short (when used alone)?

There is more oxygen in the air in Vegas, we have increased exposure to risky situations in college, and there are social taboos against calling out a friend. Environment is a powerful enabler, and despite our best attempts to be the one to do things differently, the world around us always has a trump card.

Change the Target

On a recent hazing prevention project, we asked students how they felt about a series of situations commonly associated with hazing. To our great surprise, 75-98% of students found each situation to be unacceptable.

The lesson? We don't need to preach about the perils of hazing. Or hammer home the rules. Or argue about what's ethical. They get it!

Credibility Lost?

I have a co-worker who can be difficult to work with. He’s not difficult in a bad way, but difficult in a way that makes you work harder to be better. He is very detail-oriented and wants to be overprepared for any scenario. Last week before a product presentation, we were reviewing all the equipment and information to make sure we had anything that our new clients might need. I hurriedly tried to reassure him that everything would be ok, but he insisted we double-check every last detail.

Go Big or Go Home

If you’ve ever played a serious game of euchre, you’ve heard this phrase. It means that someone played a powerful card right out of the gate, typically as a statement of confidence that they have a strong hand. Of course, there’s always a chance that this plan could backfire. Other players might have better cards, or you might make a mistake in how you play the hand. Still, this bold show of determination sends a message to other players that they should step up, pay attention, and bring their ‘A game.’

Every Professional Active?

This past summer, RISE revisited its purpose, and accepted the challenge to help every member become more active and engaged in their fraternity / sorority experience.  While the extent to which members are “active” will vary, it is an appropriate goal for us, a company committed to improving the fraternal movement. As dedicated  supporters of the interfraternal community, we challenge our fellow professionals to be more “active" in their role. By active we don't mean volume, we mean intention.  Here are five ways you can become more active as a fraternity/sorority professional:

    Get Off the Talent Bus

    In a recent Made to Stick column in FastCompany magazine, Chip Heath and Dan Heath challenged the ‘Talent Bus’ metaphor – the idea that your goal as a leader is to recruit talented people, get them in the right seats, and drop off the slackers at the next stop. Using research from Harvard Business professor Boris Groysberg, they show us that this talent/no-talent dichotomy doesn’t exactly translate into reality. Groysberg studied highly talented Wall Street analysts, and learned that their performance often suffers after switching to a new firm. Despite their individual abilities, they were trumped by the culture, systems and support available in the new environment. In other words, even the most talented passengers can’t go very far if they’re on a broken-down bus.