The Human Element: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas

by Loran Nordgren, David Schonthal, Peter Lerman (Narrator)

The Human Element is for anyone who wants to introduce a new idea or innovation into the world. Most marketers, innovators, executives, and activists operate on a deep assumption. It is the belief that the best way to convince people to embrace a new idea is to heighten the appeal of the idea itself. We instinctively believe that if we add enough value, people will eventually say "yes." This reflex leads us down a path of adding features and benefits to our ideas or increasing the sizzle of our messaging-all in the hope of getting others on board. We call this instinct the "Fuel-based mindset." The Fuel-based mindset explains so much of what we do, from adding countless trivial features to software, to bolting a sixth blade onto a shaving razor.

By focusing on Fuel, innovators neglect the other half of the equation-the psychological Frictions that oppose change. Frictions create drag on innovation. And though they are rarely considered, overcoming these Frictions is essential for bringing new ideas into the world. The Human Element highlights the four Frictions that operate against innovation.

Perfect for business leaders, product managers, educators, and anyone else who seeks to bring new and exciting ideas to life, The Human Element is an indispensable resource to help people overcome the powerful forces of human nature that instinctively resist change.

Audible Audio

Published November 9, 2021

About the author

Loran Nordgren is a Professor of Management and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management. Loran is one-part behavioral scientist, one-part lecturer, and one-part practitioner. As a behavioral scientist, his research explores the psychological forces that propel and prevent the adoption of new ideas and actions. A former Fulbright scholar, his research has been published in leading journals such as Science, and is regularly discussed in prominent forums such as the Harvard Business Review. In recognition of his work, Professor Nordgren has received the Theoretical Innovation Award in experimental psychology. As a lecturer, Loran teaches Leadership in Organizations in every program offered at Kellogg. He is a six-time recipient of the Kellogg teaching impact award and has twice received Kellogg’s Management Teacher of the Year award. Loran also serves as the academic director of the executive MBA programs. As a practitioner, Loran has worked with companies throughout the world on a wide-range of behavior change problems, a process he calls Behavioral Design.