Reward the Behaviors You Want

People and organizations are an integral part of our complex system and environment. Yet when we design products or solutions, we often fail to take into account how people respond to changes. They will act to serve their own best self-interest. In addition, they often will attempt to preserve the status quo, not just because they generally don’t like change, but because of uncertainties associated with change. Furthermore, there are dynamics associated with established relationships between people and organizations – a certain level of trust or distrust, for instance. These factors can significantly complicate the design and implementation of your strategy. Or, if recognized, these factors could be leveraged to increase your chances of success. The following article is a bit dated and long, but it provides some useful, timeless insights into how to influence human behaviors by rewarding the behaviors you want. Readers involved in OR practice, air traffic flow management, airline operations and dispatch, CDM, airport operations, and FedEx may find the article interesting on a personal level. The origins of collaborative decision-making