From Mandatory to Compelling: The Science of Filling the Room

Conventional wisdom suggests that if you want people to participate, you need to mandate it. However, this can easily backfire. What research suggests is that if you want people to participate and get the most out of this participation, you need to make it compelling. Getting people to fully engage in learning, transformation or even just to attend an important organizational event is a central challenge for HR or talent functions. During times of intense change, this can often appear to be less important, when in fact, it may be even more critical. If you’re looking to achieve something beyond just compliance, you need to design in a way that compels people to fully participate and engage – a challenge when most of us are busy and overwhelmed. In this timely conversation, Drs. David Rock and Emma Sarro will explore insights from both science and decades of practice, including the non-obvious downsides of making learning mandatory, and three areas to focus on when making experiences truly compelling.