To Get People to Change, Make Change Easy

Have you ever noticed that in a bowl of free fruit, the bananas will always go first? And no one takes the oranges at all? The reason is simple, and it’s not that the world is full of orange-haters. It’s that oranges are harder to peel. (Yes, you might say that the bananas are more a-peeling.) This principle — call it the Banana Principle — is an important one for managers to keep in mind. If you’re trying to get people to change, remember that any amount of friction could stop them. What positive actions are thwarted by small obstacles? What bad habits are easy to continue? How might you introduce friction so that detrimental behaviors are harder to start? Instead of trying yet another persuasive speech or detailed explanation, consider making small changes to the work environment to get people to change.