I ran a workshop for HR and people leaders yesterday.
It was called “Designed for Humans.”
The whole point was simple:
How do you design workplace interventions that actually last and produce measurable results,
instead of becoming another session people enjoy… and forget within a week.
We had 30+ people in the Teams room.
And several told me the same thing:
They showed up because of a last-minute reminder that I sent in our whatsapp group,
“Ah. Right. This matters. I should go.”
The host shared something interesting too.
For his own events, adding a last-minute “bait”, a reminder of why it’s worth showing up, cut no-shows from 60% to 30%.
Same event. Same people.
Different timing.
The Right Thing at the Right Time
One of the most influential executive coaches in the world, Marshall Goldsmith, has followed a simple ritual for years to stay focused on his goals.
He hired a coach to call him every day for 5 minutes.
No teaching. No advice.
Just a few “Engaging Questions,” like:
-
Did I do my best to set clear goals today?
-
Did I do my best to work toward them?
Not once a quarter.
Not at the end of the year.
Every day.
He made his priorities top of mind, right when they could still influence behavior.
In a Harvard Business Review article “To Change Company Culture, Start with One High-Impact Behavior,” the authors share how one organization they worked with improved gender balance in hiring.
Not by running more training.
But by doing this small thing.
Right before opening applications, managers watched a 7-minute video on bias in hiring.
Right message.
Right time.
That’s what changed decisions.
Robert Cialdini, the author of Influence, wrote an entire book about this: Pre-Suasion.
About how our decisions are heavily influenced by what’s most recent in our minds.
The closer something is to the moment of action, the stronger its pull.
I notice this tendency in myself all the time.
If I sign up for an event far in advance, there’s a good chance I won’t go.
Unless I’m reminded, right before, why it’s worth my time.
That's probably one of the biggest reasons why New Year’s resolutions fail.
You set them.
You feel motivated.
Then life happens and you forget.
If you reminded yourself daily why your goals matter to you - you’d see far more of them stick.
We often overcomplicate behavior change.
More content.
More workshops.
More motivation, some complex accountability or incentive systems.
When very often, the human brain just needs:
the right reminder, at the right time.
A reminder of not just WHAT but also why it matters.
Over to you, dear reader, where in your life could consistency improve with a meaningful, better-timed nudge?
And what’s one reminder you could put in place today, to make the right thing remembered?
