May 18, 2020
By Trevor Gore
The new normal is a phrase we’ve all come to know, if not love! It is true that the world after ‘lockdown’ will be different in ways that we can’t predict and in ways that will come as a surprise and shock. However, whatever normal becomes, one thing is certain, we will have to change, and change is something that many people are uncomfortable with. Whether it be for fear of the unknown or letting go of what we’ve previously had, change elicits strong emotions.
To help people through change the COM-B Behaviour Change Model is now used extensively in behaviour change interventions in scientific literature with COM-B standing for ‘Capability’, ‘Opportunity’, ‘Motivation’ and ‘Behaviour’. Capability is the psychological and/or physical ability to engage in that behaviour. Opportunity covers both the physical and social factors that are external to the individual and that make their behaviour possible or prompted, and Motivation includes the want or need to perform the behaviour more than any other competing behaviours at that moment.
It is the interplay between the 3 COM states that leads to the ‘new’ B; Behaviour. Although Many of the Capability and Opportunity skills may be outside of the individuals’ control, in this new normal, I can foresee focus changing from ‘profit to purpose’, businesses that move from ‘controlling to empowering’, and collaborations becoming more commonplace.
However, when it comes to motivation there is a lot, we can do for ourselves. The last time I looked there were over 100 different levers to encourage motivation. One of my favourites is the ‘reframe’; if you can’t change the situation, change what you call it/ how you look at it. e.g. during the lockdown, you’re not ‘stuck’ at home, you’re ‘safe’ at home.
The most effective way to increase motivation is to ‘skill up’; improve your skills so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the new normal and are therefore capable of doing what needs to be done.
So, what skills do you need to improve? Well from what we can see of the world so far, I think digital and remote working would be high on many people lists. But why wait to see what will happen? Take a break and have a look at your job/role competencies and YOU decide which ones have served you well and were good for the ‘old normal’ and which, if you were in control, would you like to know more about. Go online and explore what these missing skills are about (I’ve already completed courses on ‘Gaining Customer Insight’,’ Innovation’ and ‘Market Segmentation’).
YOU are in control of your future if you choose to be and can skill up to be prepared for the new normal. Speak to your HR professionals and discuss the competencies you believe you will need going forward. And, as Charles Darwin didn’t say “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change”
Trevor Gore Owner of Maestro Consulting and XPotential Senior Associate
