Coaching for Leaders

770: How to Make Change Irresistible, with Phil Gilbert

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Phil Gilbert: Irresistible Change

Phil Gilbert is best known for leading IBM’s 21st-century transformation as their General Manager of Design. The transformation became the subject of a Harvard Business School case study, the documentary film The Loop, and feature articles in the New York Times and Fortune Magazine. He is the author of Irresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success (Amazon, Bookshop)*.

We’ve all been through mandated change initiatives more times than we can count. But what if change wasn’t a mandate, but an offer – or even an invitation? In this conversation, Phil and I explore how to make change irresistible.

Key Points
  • Change should be regarded as a high-value-add product.
  • Don’t mandate change. Offer change.
  • Your goal is sustained cultural adoption, not improving immediate competency.
  • Start small, but cover all your bases on a reduced scale. Make a great cupcake instead of a mediocre wedding cake.
  • People buy brands, not products. Branding change allows you to define the values and message that goes with it.
    • Resources Mentioned
    • Irresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success by Phil Gilbert (Amazon, Bookshop)*
      • Interview Notes

      Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

      Related Episodes
      • Engaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571)
      • Where Senior Leaders Can Better Support Middle Managers, with Emily Field (episode 650)
      • How to Lead Organizational Change, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 740)
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