190. Motivation Matters: How to Leverage What People Already Want
Mar 11, 2025
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Dan Heath, a New York Times bestselling author and expert in persuasion, shares his insights on mobilizing change without crafting new motivations. Instead of convincing others from scratch, he encourages tapping into their existing desires. Heath discusses the concept of 'leverage points'—small efforts that yield significant results—and emphasizes the power of storytelling in engaging audiences. He explores how personal anecdotes and practical strategies can enhance communication and drive organizational success. Discover how to turn latent motivation into an engine for impactful change!
Effective communication leverages storytelling to inspire audience engagement and evoke emotions, prompting personal reflection and action.
Identifying and focusing on 'leverage points' can drive significant change with minimal effort, fostering positivity and productivity in organizations.
Deep dives
The Power of Storytelling
Storytelling is highlighted as a crucial element of effective communication. It has the unique ability to induce simulation and inspiration in the audience, allowing them to engage with the narratives on a personal level. By recounting specific stories, such as a customer’s extraordinary service experience, communicators can evoke emotions and provide relatable understanding. This dual power encourages listeners not only to feel but also to reflect on their own behaviors and move towards action.
Focusing on Bright Spots for Improvement
A critical insight involves the concept of studying 'bright spots' rather than fixating on problems. In many instances, organizations concentrate on negative feedback, which can obscure valuable lessons from successful segments. By redirecting attention to what is working—such as identifying satisfied employees from engagement surveys—insights can be gleaned that help uplift overall performance. This approach emphasizes the potential for growth by replicating successful behaviors rather than solely addressing issues.
Utilizing Leverage Points for Change
Leverage points are described as key areas where minimal effort can lead to significant change within complex systems. Examples such as a couples therapist employing 'sticky note appreciations' reveal how small daily actions can shift perspectives and foster positivity in relationships. Understanding these points enables individuals and organizations to identify where they can make impactful changes without overwhelming effort or resources. Consequently, focusing on these leverage points nurtures a constructive path toward achieving desired outcomes.
How to turn latent motivation into fuel for change.
If you want to be a changemaker, you’ll have to convince others to join your cause. But according to Dan Heath, persuading your audience isn’t about creating new motivation — it’s about leveraging the motivation that’s already there.
“The most important fuel for any change effort is motivation,” says Heath, the number-one New York Times bestselling author of Reset: How to Change What's Not Working. Instead of struggling to persuade people to want what you want, Heath suggests finding where your goals overlap with the things they already desire. "Before you even get to persuasion, if you can just tap and unleash the energy that's already there, you've already catapulted yourself toward success,” he says.
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Heath and host Matt Abrahams explore how to create more compelling communication using “leverage points,” or as Heath says, “where a little bit of effort yields a disproportionate return.” Whether getting buy-in from one teammate or achieving change across an entire organization, Heath shares practical tips for turning latent motivation into an engine for change. Get more done with Grammarly. Download Grammarly for free at grammarly.com/podcast.