I am not averse to a few layers of clothes when flying. Partly because I
get cold on planes but mainly because I’m normally at my baggage limit so have
to wear everything I cannot fit into my case. Therefore airport
security is almost always… time consuming. It’s hard to carry off a
‘cool, calm and collected’ air as you strip down and unload half your attire
into a little plastic tray and wait (in at least your second queue of the day)
with all the other bare footed, odd socked or heaven forbid... holey
socked travellers.
Removing belts,
heels, bracelets, jackets and whatever else might result in a quick once-over
from someone in a position of power not dissimilar to a prison guard has become
second nature for fliers all over the world, I’ve never yet seen anyone dare to
object and yet only a few years ago this would have been seen as utterly
outrageous.
Isn’t it amazing
what a compelling reason can do to initiate immediate, embedded and
non-resisted behavioural change?
In my first blog
post I listed the responses I received from friends and colleagues when I asked
them what “The World Changed” meant to them. The answer I received most was
9/11.
September 11th
2001 changed something for almost everyone in many different ways. Some people
changed their opinions on religion, others on politics. Some were affected
simply by the horror of what they saw on TV while others were directly affected by
the catastrophe. I could relate to change as a subject in a number
of ways but I'll try to stick to one point at a time on these posts as my last
one killed too many fairytale birds with one stone - I suspect.
One of the
things I find interesting, is how easily people adapted their behaviour
after 9/11 when it came to security procedures and not just at the airport.
There are buildings all over the world where security is at the highest levels,
mostly where you’d expect it to be - Government buildings, Embassies and such
like. However when you want to go for a cocktail at Vertigo bar in London, situated on the 42nd floor of Tower 42, baggage must be scanned on arrival and all guests must walk through the body
scanners. Admittedly less stripping is involved here than at the airport, which
is lucky, but I do often wonder if half-hearted security procedures don’t
somewhat defeat the purpose... like how you can get into City Social for cocktails on the 24th floor of the very same building but not have to pass through any scanners. Logical?
I know that at the airport, I appreciate the security measures although I am occasionally surprised that no-one checks my passport until I’m actually at the gate and about to step onto the plane. Especially when my passport until a few months ago showed me 9 years younger - they never give me even a second glance.
I know that at the airport, I appreciate the security measures although I am occasionally surprised that no-one checks my passport until I’m actually at the gate and about to step onto the plane. Especially when my passport until a few months ago showed me 9 years younger - they never give me even a second glance.
Nevertheless, in
the grand scheme of things - people don’t complain. In fact most people seem
willing, if not even comforted by the speed at which security was ramped up,
practically within hours of 9/11 happening and to a greater extent as further
threats were identified in the following years to include shoes and liquids.
People adapted their behaviour because they believed it was justified and in
the interest of themselves and those they care about.
So how can we
learn from this swift and apparent ease of behaviour change? Without resorting
to terrorist threats in the workplace or aiming to generate fear for one’s life
there are many ways to take some learning from the example set by the simple
acceptance of swift and dramatic airport security changes.
A compelling story
is often the greatest driver of change, in particular behavioural change. If
you can engage people in the reason behind why the change needs to happen and
those people understand the story enough to believe in it themselves then the
behavioural change will come easily, become embedded and may even be embraced.
Simon Sinek
introduced us to the ‘Start with why’ concept which he explained particularly
well in the context of Apple consumers buying into the product range. He advised
that people buy Apple products not because of WHAT the product does (fulfilling
the technical needs of the customer) as other competitive products can fulfil
those needs just as easily. It’s not even about HOW the product meets the needs
of the customer (the structure of its operating systems, the carefully crafted
components nor the aesthetic beauty of its design) as other competitive
products have their own attractions. Sinek tells us it’s all about
WHY. The consumer buys into the Apple lifestyle, it's not
just a range of products which interact seamlessly with each other,
providing access to every aspect of your world in one place and all at
your fingertips - it sells us a whole new way of life. The
iPhone revolutionised the whole mobile phone industry just as the iPod
revolutionised the music industry. When you buy an Apple product, it’s barely
about the product anymore, it’s about what the company stands for and THAT is
why consumers feel compelled to buy it. Their main driver, in this example, is
belief in the WHY of the product. He calls this The Golden Circle
I am fan of Sinek
who is fascinating to watch in action so I'll come back to him in the future as
there is much more to this. However the point here is that
with all of this in mind, I think it’s clear why people were so willing to
change their behaviours so naturally at airports regardless of it being legally
enforced. People don’t often care too much WHAT you want them to do differently
but they will resist it anyway. Nor are they too upset by HOW you want them to
do it differently – resistance is easier. But if they do not understand WHY
something should be done differently then it will simply never happen.
I believe a
compelling story will change behaviours more successfully than most people
realise. After all – what part of stripping at the gate would you have agreed
to without one?