Persuasive communications are all about creating change, making someone think, feel and act differently based on an interaction.  We often approach it by thinking about how we can push people towards the future we envision.  But what if pushing harder causes people to push back more?  This new book from Jonah Berger explores that very idea. He argues that it’s not about pushing, or being more persuasive, it’s about removing barriers to change, which is exactly what catalysts do. They make things happen with apparent ease as they reduce friction.  Jonah goes on to outline five common roadblocks to change and how to think like a catalyst to overcome them to unlock the potential of your ideas.  

Reactance 

When pushed, people push back. So rather than telling people what to do or trying to persuade, catalysts allow for agency and encourage people to convince themselves.  Inspire people to go on their own journey, your role is to help illuminate the path.

Endowment 

People are wedded to what they’re already doing. The status quo. To ease endowment, we need to surface the costs of inaction, which are often underestimated, or perhaps you can reconnect to familiar things that have been lost.  Never underestimate the passion that you will encounter for protecting what is versus the potential of what could be.  

Distance 

People prefer the familiar.  Be careful not to push too far too fast.  Perspectives that are too far away will often get rejected or discounted.  Go for painting a big picture vision, but think about starting by asking for less.  How would you make the first steps as easy as possible?  

Uncertainty 

Change almost always involves uncertainty, and this ambiguity makes people hit the pause button, stemming action. To get people to un-pause, increase trialability. Think about iterative test and learns.  Steal a little of that ‘freemium’ model from the tech start-ups and reduce the upfront cost of your ideas and encourage people to experience and discover.  Any step forward is a win, no matter how small.  

Corroborating Evidence

Sometimes one person isn’t enough. Some things need more proof. So find reinforcement. Use multiple sources that are most relevant to your audience.  Think credibility and delivery.  Tap into their key motivators and the type of evidence that would be most impactful.  

This book is all about discovering the barriers to change and systematically removing the parking breaks.   It’s a great way to think about how to approach your ideas whether you're trying to change an individual, a team, or an entire organization.  Just be a catalyst.