In 1519, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, upon arrival to what is now Mexico, ordered his men to scuttle the boats so they could not leave (legend says he burned them, although history shows they merely ran them shore).
Until the change has been firmly established, the temptation remains to go back to the old way. It is safe and reliable. The new way has yet to be proven.
So, one way to influence change (or force it really) is to eliminate the option to return to the old way. Remove the previous software. Delete the old spreadsheet. Throw away the old templates and forms. Remove the status quo enablers. Burn the boats.
What enablers of the status quo might be eliminated?
Read more of the 99 Ways to Influence Change.
Really important point Heather. I often say to my clients ‘its called change not same for a reason’. Change often falls down because day to day processes and systems reflect the past and not the desired future.
I also like to consider ‘Unwritten Rules’ (I think Richard Argyris wrote a book on this). These are the unstated but well know ‘how we do things around here’ often accidentally promoted by managers with personal preferences around reports, spreadsheets etc.