Herd Mentality

The way that many businesses and marketers strategise is perhaps counterintuitive. One important variable is frequently overlooked. This is the behaviour of people. Would it not make sense if human behaviour were to shape the formulation and execution of strategy? Surely, this is a sure-fire way to create strategies that are more robust and destined for success.

Mark Earls, an expert in human behaviour, communications and strategic thinking has explored the link between human behaviour and successful and effective strategies probably more than anyone. He is the award-winning author of several books on the subject including Herd - How to change mass behaviour by harnessing our true nature.

This book challenges our received wisdom about mass behaviour and develops an alternative model rooted in our ‘herd’ nature. Earls proposes that each individual does what they do largely because of what other people do or don’t do (even if our brain tells us other wise). In fact Mark Earls turns the idea of thinking then doing on its head and argues that people actually act and then think about it later. He would also argue that there’s not much point in spending too much time, energy or money asking people why they do what they do because, quite simply, they don’t actually know.

We like to think that we make individual decisions and that we choose our own behaviour. However, the truth is that most of the time we are heavily influenced by the behaviour of those around us. It is a herd mentality.

Mark Earls’ approach to human behaviour and strategy is completely fresh and turns conventional wisdom about what works and what doesn’t totally upside down. He has some new ideas on human behaviour, an example of which can be seen in an eBook entitled Understanding How Behaviour Shapes Strategy.

In this work - Mark Earls poses three questions which should alter the way you look at your business planning and which will hopefully develop the way you strategise. These three questions are as follows:

What is the relationship between attitudes and behaviour?
How do new ideas and habits get formed?
How do you create momentum that equates to real and lasting change?

Finding the answers to these questions you will clearly see how strategy only works if it changes people's behaviour. Whether you are dealing with staff, customers, investors or others, you first have to understand how people work and how new ideas catch on to appreciate what makes for successful business strategies.