Change

Having worked in the field of change for many years - and experienced much personal change through my own volition or otherwise, I've learned that it is not possible for one person to change another or group - one can only influence another persons decision to engage in a process of change or not, by creating the conditions for change. Even then the individual or group may or may not succeed in making the change depending on the nature and extent of the change.

The simplest illustration of this is the tale of the sun, the wind and the lone man walking. As the story goes, the sun and wind placed a bet on which of them could get the man to remove his overcoat, using their respective powers. The wind raged trying to force the mans coat from his shoulders through the power of force, but all he did was encourage the man to wrap his coat around his body as tight and close as possible. Having failed the wind gave way to the sun to try; at which point the sun shone so brightly and with such intense heat, that the man decided to remove his coat himself.

The truth in this is, people decide to change themselves and then do it themselves. The way to help and encourage people to change, is to provide the tools, resources, confidence and anticipated reward for doing so.

Anything is possible, it is just a matter of resource, belief and will.

Whether something is feasible, economically, socially or otherwise is a function of these three things.