make change in their cities, neighborhoods, and corporations. The pressing issues of today clamor for solutions, yet a surprising number of social change efforts are based on little more than folk theories. This book dispels many of the myths that prevent change projects from succeeding, and replaces them with the best of what is known from projects that have worked. Changeology simplifies a vast body of theory and practice in to six principles: buzz, hope, enabling environments, sticky solutions, “can do,” and the right inviter. These are explained with fascinating real-life stories and a look at the hard evidence.
Introduction: How to change the world
Popular folk theories: Why it’s necessary to slay our assumptions
Method: Establish a brains trust
The social immune system: Why tell, sell and threaten rarely work
Ingredient 1: First, start a buzz
How nothing happens without conversation
Method: How to start a buzz
Ingredient 2: Offer hope
How frustration motivates change
Method: Sketch a hopeful future
Ingredient 3: Create an enabling environment
It’s the system, stupid
Method: Making a theory of change
Ingredient 4: Design a sticky solution
How reinvention drives change
Method: Testing for stickiness
Ingredient 5: Expanding the comfort zone
How to help people reduce their fears
Method: Making a theory of action
Ingredient 6: Find the right inviter
Some people we just can’t say ‘no’ to
Method: Creating an invitation
Bringing it all together: The uses of theory
Further reading
References and Notes
Index
'A beguilingly simple framework for effective social change illustrated with loads of helpful and inspiring examples. Thought provoking at every turn, I finished the book buzzing with new ideas to try out in my own work.'
- Nigel Topping, Chief Innovation Officer, Carbon Disclosure Project
Les Robinson was a social marketer who wondered why his campaigns sometimes fizzled and decided to find out why. In his early years he lent communication finesse to citizen campaigns against sand mining, freeways, landfills and Sydney’s only waste incinerator (now closed), which sparked his interest in social change. He is now Australia’s most experienced and knowledgeable change facilitator, consultant to government agencies and councils – training, facilitating and advising practitioners on behaviour change programmes in areas including health, sustainability, road safety and emergency management. He runs his own business, Enabling Change; see www.enablingchange.com.au.
Links to workshops, the LinkedIn Group, the blog, and various resources, are on Les's Changeology page.
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