I read an article recently that caught my eye and made me think that this is something all good leaders need to know. The original source was The Art and Science of Changing Our and Other People's Minds; by Howard Gardner, Harvard Business School Press, 2004.

It uses the 7-R's as an acronym for effecting change.

Reason: One of the most effective and "balanced" methods of making up your mind about something is making a list of the pros and cons. When the pros out weigh the cons reasoning is simple but remember if you only give a person all the pros for doing something they will quickly throw the cons back in your face and "prove" your reasoning skills defective. This can be a pretty fast and simple tool and you should have the person whose mind you are trying to change work the process with you. That way you don't miss countering any of the cons they dream up. You may even change your own mind if the person has better reasons they you do.

Research: 42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot. That being said (with my tongue firmly in my cheek), research the issues and come up with independent, outside data that support your ideas. Take it one step further and outline the "what if's" (ramifications) of your idea. A solid idea is supported by a strong foundation that should be made up of cold hard facts.

Resonance: La, la, la, la ...no, we aren't discussing a music hall. How do the folks your working to persuade view you? Do you have a long and distinguished history as an effective change maker? Is this your first chance in the spot light? Are you viewed as loose cannon? You have to be aware of how your audience perceives you and work those views into your argument. Even a negative viewpoint can work in your favor. "I know many of you only know me as the cadet who lead the mutiny at encampment when I was a cadet airman, but I have come a long way in the last two years. Honor cadet at encampment, scored 100% on my last three leadership tests etc.... Don't fool yourself into thinking they got over some goofy thing you did. Point it out for them (they remember it...believe me). Work it into your argument and to your advantage. If you are the wise old change maker understand that they also know that and you don't have to beat that drum too hard.

Repeat: No, no, no, not the same thing three times, the same message multiple times with multiples means. Graphics, statistics, stories, briefs, (keep them short with backup if needed). You may need to repeat to different audiences but always try and use fresh updated material. Tailor it to fit who you are talking to.

Real-World Events: Want to be really effective without spending a ton of time trying to get everyone on the same page as you? Draw examples from the real world that your audience already knows about. If they don't have shared experiences keep using real world examples. It is a lot more effective to "prove" your point by sharing something that really happened rather then a hypothetical "If we do this then we should get that result argument". Squadron 306 used the BTC program I am proposing and that have shown an increase of 35% in recruiting and 45% in retention

Rewards: Want to be really effective in changing someone's mind? Remember the adage: "What's in to for me?" Give your audience a reward for taking your advice. It doesn't have to be a bribe (wait a second this is CadetStuff....it shouldn't be a bribe). It should be along the lines of: following this plan will reduce time spent reviewing files by 50% and decrease re-working new files by 80%. Time is a big reward. Doing it this way will earn our Squadron the Wing Unit of the Year Award. You get the idea.

Resistance: Prior to setting out to change the minds of the uninformed, devote yourself to ID'ing those who will resist your plan and defuse them. One way would be to go to them prior to rolling out your ideas and ask them to help you develop your plan. This way, it is "our plan" and the biggest detractor is now arguing the plan with you. There will always be resistance to change; it has something to do with Newton and gravity I think. Plan for it and make it work for you not against you.

I will conclude with one last thought using the 7-R's. Yes, CAP is based on a military model on leadership and the buck stops at the commander. Even if you are the commander you will much more successful if your troops all are convinced your plan is the best way to go because you have given them great reasons to do it, backed up with statistics and gathered from the real world (using charts and graphs) that demonstrate that your Squadron will be #1 this time next year. My way or the highway most often gets folks on their feet heading down the road. (six out of seven R's...not too bad)