Political and medical leaders are not following the science of behavioural change.
Political and medical leaders are enabling large numbers of deaths, hospitalizations, and massive economic damage by not following the science of behavioural change.
Political and medical leaders are expecting the public to make major behavioural changes E.g. wearing masks, reduced social gatherings, and social distancing. Most leaders are taking the approach of telling or dictating to people what they must do. This is not science based. The result is that many people are not doing as they as told, which is the natural result.
A science-based approach requires communicating to people why they, as individuals, have an urgent need to change. E.g. avoid them or their friends and family dying. There are more components to a science-based approach, noted in the further reading section below.
I don’t know why political and medical leaders are taking a non-science-based approach and enabling massive harm. Perhaps they have not asked the experts for advice. Perhaps they have rejected the advice. Perhaps they’ve decided to take the easy approach and just dictate to people.
COVID-19 may be the greatest failing of our political and medical leaders in the past 100 years.
What can you do?
Reach out to the political and medical leaders you know to help them understand the science of behavioural changes. It’s not too late to save lives and reduce economic destruction.
Further reading
The following three articles focus on major behavioural change within business organization. The same principles apply to the major COVID-19 behavioural changes: wearing masks, reduced social gatherings, and social distancing.
The science of change management
The four building blocks of change — McKinsey
Managing the people aspects of change
