Paper or Plastic? Effective implementation of small changes can lead to big impact.
When was the last time you underestimated how difficult a change would be?
On a recent, weekend trip to the grocery store, I surprised myself with how prepared I was to enter the store with my reusable grocery bags. It wasn't always this way.
I was first introduced to the reusable bag concept - by force - in 2012 when I lived in Seattle. A few months after I arrived from the east coast, I was hit with the news that single use plastic bags were being banned in all the city’s grocery stores! And to make matters worse, I would have to BUY my own reusable bags.
My whole world was instantly turned upside down. I yelled into the abyss about how terrible this change would be. I even made plans to shop at stores outside the city to stock up on single-use bags. After all, without these bags, what would line my small trash cans at home? What would I use carry my dirty laundry during travel? The infinite wisdom of my government overlords wasn't thinking about ME when they made this change. And THEY were negatively affecting MY life.
Fast forward to late 2022. Even with a dog to walk, multiple cans to line, and almost 2 months of travel that year, my family still had more plastic bags than our household could reuse for months. We started to donate them back to stores. Or we'd just throw them away.
After pausing for a moment to think about what I was doing, I remembered that I had been given an extra-large reusable bag when I catered an event. And My wife had given me a Star Wars bag as a gift. And just like that, I mentally made the small change to put those bags in the trunk for use on my grocery runs. Without the seeds of change being sowed in Seattle, I would have never made the change. It took over 10 years, but here I am. Proudly entering the store with my own bags.
When it comes to change, give yourself and those affected some grace. Even something considered to be a small change takes time, consistency and effort.
Here are a few tips to help you and your team with a difficult change:
Consider what "good looks like" and have early adopters who can model the change. My wife had already made the change to consistently using reusable bags. In fact, I was unloading her bags when I realized I had bags of my own ready for use.
Consistently provide data and facts to support the need for change. If the Seattle government had used their ad campaigns to tell me the practical reasons to ditch my plastic bags, I could have been more open to the change. After all, I was new to the city. If there were debates on the subject, I was not a part of them. And I lived alone, so I didn't use that many bags. I didn't see my behavior as a problem. No doubt, in your change, there will be people affected that aren’t the biggest problem, and as a result, those folks may not be involved in developing the future solution. Consistently sharing the data will help them understand the need for change.
Budget time and money for resources and training to make the change easier. The fact that I had to buy my own bags was a negative. Some outsider was making me change AND making me pay for it. I wonder how much smoother the change would have been if everyone was given two reusable bags to start. And those bags could have contained a message on why the change was being made. This would allow the early adopters to be involved in spreading the data and facts about the change.
Just as important as changing the process, you have to change minds and behaviors. One month after the announcement, no grocery store in the city had single use plastic bags. This forced a change in my habit. But, they failed to change my mindset. I was happy to get back to plastic bags as quickly as I could when I moved to the suburbs. Your team may look for opportunities to go back to the old ways. Spreadsheets will be saved on desktops. Secret tools will be kept in tool boxes. Someone may even keep a secret stash of plastic bags - just like me! Strong systems are necessary to monitor the new process and ensure it continues to work as intended.
Do you need some guidance with a change that you're making in your personal or professional life? Reach out to me at notavgjomo@gmail.com or use our contact form. We’d be happy to help.
Have a great day. Learn a lot. And be YOUR best.
photo credit: Joseph Moore
