How to help others to change their bad habits

1. Viewpoint

"Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time."

2. Quotable quote

"Individuals aren’t the only creatures of habit. Groups can get into ruts too. For instance, think about the pattern of your regular department meeting. Does it follow the same order each time? Can you predict who’s going to sit where and who will say what; which issues will be brought up; who will object to everything and who will agree with everything everybody else says?

If you’ve decided it’s time to break an individual or group habit at work, remember that your Dinosaur Brain will assure you that your habit is the one true way. But is it?"

3. Ask yourself

Conservatism can be both an asset and a liability. Both individual habits and institution-alised habits must be checked from time to time to see if they are working for us or against us.

When did you last check your workplace? …