How Groups Change

Sucessful strategy requires a change in the collective.

In other words, successful change often requires a collective change of many different people and groups. This can be a change in practices, culture, or any other change required.

Herein lies the trap many of us fall into.

Unfortunately, when we want a certain group, team, department or company to change, we often think this happens when other people start behaving differently.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Groups don’t change when others start behaving differently, groups change when you as an individual begin to change.

Simply put, individual change is what drives group change.

This is due to several reasons: Collective composition means a group is simply a collection of individual people, it is not an independent entity.

This allows for a behavioural ripple effect, meaning when one person changes, it directly affects or shifts the dynamic of the group.

To be fair, this shift varies in size and consequence based on the individual. An individual that holds formal authority, such as a leader, or informal power, such as one holding high moral or social standing, creates a bigger shift than others.

But that is not to take away from the fact that every individual change does have an effect on the group at large – regardless of how big or small.

Real change begins to happen when you as an individual stop looking outwards and at what others are or are not doing.

Expecting others to change first leaves the entire group stuck, because everybody gets stuck in a loop of blame and inaction.

You cannot control or rewrite someone else’s choices, but you entirely control your own response and contribution to group culture.

The best way to get a group to adhere to a certain standard, is to immediately begin behaving in accordance with that standard – regardless of what others are doing.

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