Best Way to Try New Behaviors (Pt 2)

Focus and concentrate on trying a new behavior daily.

The first post covered expectations and strategy to try new behaviors. This post will dive into daily activities. It will answer how we can take more control over the entire process.

Again, the Capgemini consultant, Greger Wikstand (more), asked about best way to try new behaviors. Thus, my focus will be self-directed solutions. Still, we can use these expectations, strategy and activities to coach our people.

It’s difficult to try new behaviors if conditions requiring them don’t arise. We can’t try a new project management approach if we don’t have any projects to manage. Therefore, the first step in taking control to try new behaviors is injecting ourselves in situations requiring them. That might mean compromising our schedule, pricing, norms, time and comfort to do so. It means going out of our way to find or plan for them.

The second step is focus and concentrate. Focus on doing one new behavior for the day. Then, concentrate on making that happen. This could include writing it down on a task list. I recommend writing it down versus keying it in. Writing engages our minds more. Furthermore, scratching it off when done is better than indicating complete or deleting it. These help our motivation.

For example, if we want to try a new relationship building technique, we focus on one and concentrate using it in an interaction. Again, we break it down. Rather than learning all its different forms, we focus on one. When we do, we take that pen and scratch it off our list until it’s obliterated.

Similarly, trying a new function of an application means focusing on one then concentrating on finding a project to use it. We allow more time. Allowing more time to try new behaviors is working within realistic expectations.

Focusing and concentrating train our minds to think about the new behavior. They change how we think about our day and its activities. Behavioral change usually doesn’t happen without changing our thinking.

To try new behaviors in this way will allow us to change a dozen or two behaviors annually. If we pick the right ones, they will have dynamic impact on our lives.

Part 1 of Best Way to Try New Behaviors covers expectations and strategy. It supplements the daily activities outlined here.