Don't forget about what got better
Negativity bias is the tendency to focus on only those things that aren't working, rather than focusing on what has improved. I've observed that during a switch from one AMS to another, frequently staff will fall into this trap. The result can be as simple as spending too much time on trying to fix something that isn't that important, to the extreme of staff believing the entire implementation has failed.
True story: I once had an executive director tell me an AMS implementation I was assisting with was a "complete failure" (her words) because we had gone live with one piece of functionality still not working. In her mind, this proved the project had failed, even though everything else had launched properly and they had seen many significant improvements over the old system. (The punchline is that not only was the functionality fixed within weeks, but that "failed" system has been used by the association for over 12 years now!)
So our job is to make sure we communicate the successes that any given project has achieved, as frequently as possible. Humans have a tendency to focus on the negative and flat out forget the positives. So we have to help them re-focus by reminding them of everything that has improved.
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Data is for action
Data is for action When deciding whether or not to collect a piece of data, …
Have you shopped yourself?
Have you shopped yourself? I’ve always been fascinated by the “secret shopper” concept. (Maybe it’s …
To improve adoption, decrease the friction
To improve adoption, decrease the friction “Before you try to increase your willpower, try to …
“Is this normal?”
“Is this normal?” ne of the greatest parts about my job is that I get …
Give your staff more freedom, not less
Give your staff more freedom, not less I often tell my clients, when it comes …
My advice? Stop doing that
My advice? Stop doing that! There is a classic TV sketch featuring Bob Newhart as …
Is a college degree really required?
Is a college degree really required? I saw a job listing last week for an …
Small actions become big wins
Small actions become big wins I’ve written before about how data accretes, the idea that …
Try not to OFFEND your members…
Try not to OFFEND your members… I recently received an email from an association where I’ve …
How will you use that data?
How will you use that data? One of the beauties of technology today is how easy …