Change Management’s Biggest Hurdle

There are few as fervent as the young environmental warrior. Spurred on by school and media, our youngest has been the driving force behind the energy saving light bulbs on our ceiling and the worm farm in our backyard. At the moment we’re being held to account for any excess packaging which crosses our threshold. But her crusade has a weak spot.

We live just far enough away from school that walking the journey involves some effort, albeit small. The drive, conversely, is not so short as to be farcical. So we mix it up. Sometimes she walks, sometimes we cycle together and sometimes she is driven.

Here’s the rub. Which mode of transport do you think our little green conscience prefers? Nine times out of ten, if given the choice, she’ll opt to be driven. Carbon emissions are momentarily overlooked in favour of the short term convenience of avoiding the walk.

There is some compelling psychology at play here. On a micro level this psychology broadens my family’s carbon footprint. On a larger scale, it affects everything from making change in the workplace to global efforts at averting environmental catastrophe.

Let’s call it the “Just For Now” syndrome.

My daughter is by no means the only one who will jump in the car for the sake of expedience: “just for now”. Next time, we say, we will walk or cycle or catch the bus. This time, we’ll just worry about getting there. Anyway, one quick trip in the car won’t hurt, will it?

Perhaps already today you’ve rifled through that pile of papers on your desk for the umpteenth time, “just for now”. You know that sorting out the pile would save you more time than it would consume in the end. Anyway, who has time to sort?

Managers often zap out a quick group email or memo, rather than get face-to-face, because it’s the quickest way to communicate. They know that in the long run the latter would be more effective. Nevertheless, “just for now”, the email will have to do. Anyway, if there’s a crisis of misunderstanding it will be dealt with.

At international forums, governments defer truly global climate change initiatives “just for now”. The upcoming election and the need for economic growth back home constrain their ability to act in the wider interest. Anyway, things won’t change that much in the next six months will they?

In every “just for now” instance, short term ease wins a battle against longer term benefit. Lasting improvement is put off. And of course we politely ignore the likelihood that the “just for now” option will be taken again next time.

It is virtually impossible to make real change on any scale without jolting ourselves out of the orbit of comfort and convenience. If we can’t learn to do this at home and work, what hope do we have of saving the planet?