Do you need a clear image of the desired outcome of a persuasive experience to effectively guide the Sustain Scale Set The Bar Predictable Organization Transformation Motivate experience? Of course! In order to effectively change an organization using persuasive technology, the organization must have an extremely clear, comprehensive image of the outcome of the desired change. This image must include the desired beliefs, values and commitments as well as the specific operational procedures required to execute the new functions.
How can you create such a complete image?
Fortunately, there are already people in most organization who have at least some of this image. These “positive deviants” [3], are the most consistently successful and respected people in an organization. The respect they are given is the first element in creating the persuasive experience. Because they are so highly respected, people tend to respond more completely and quickly to anything they say or do. In addition, positive deviants display two other traits that help drive persuasion:
• They are extremely passionate about their work
• They are extremely efficient in performing their work.
Positive deviants love their work. The primary reason for their love of their work is that they are always motivated by commitment to achieving a greater social or moral objective. For example, positive deviant pharmacy managers in a large chain were passionate because they thought of themselves as helping families in distress (which was in sharp contrast to other pharmacy managers who thought of themselves as filling 120 prescriptions per day). Positive deviants generate a powerful energy, which is harnessed to stimulate a persuasive experience for others. Positive deviants are also very good at what they do, achieving consistently superior results usually with less effort and stress. For example, restaurant managers in a fast food chain had identified the place to stand while supervising the restaurant that optimized their ability to manage the operational processes of the restaurant. In contrast, others stood in places where their management views and capabilities were restricted. Positive deviants’ superior operational abilities, particularly when combined with their passion, also drive persuasion.
All of the positive deviants’ “secret sauce” can be gathered using a highly efficient “Wisdom Discovery” process that requires just 6-8 people working together for 3 days. Wisdom Discovery, which is guided by a software application, while not specifically designed to be a persuasive experience, nonetheless leads participants to change their beliefs and functions very quickly [7]. However, the primary purpose of Wisdom Discovery is to create a comprehensive image of the desired outcome of a persuasive experience that others will have when they are using the persuasive technology. Because they are so highly respected, people tend to quickly embrace what Positive Deviants say and do.