B = f (P, E)
After studying behavioral science for 15 years now, this is still my favorite formula to understand and ultimately influence behavior.
Introduced by Kurt Lewin, B = f (P, E) dictates that an individual's behavior is a function of the person and their environment. The word "and" is crucial here.
This explains why a star soccer player suddenly performs below average after transferring to a new team.
This explains why a kid who is regularly bullied at one school gradually belongs to the popular group after switching schools.
And, this explains why an employee who seems to uphold the highest integrity standards commits fraud to reach quarterly targets after the company introduced a new, more aggressive bonus system.
The 'E' in Lewin's formula is usually divided into three categories of behavioral drivers: team, organization, and context.
Behavior is then best understood as the outcome of a pattern of such drivers.
Team-level drivers include management style, psychological safety, or performance standards.
Organization-level drivers include strategy, policies, or performance management systems.
Context-level drivers (factors outside of the organization) include regulation, market competition, or local culture.
To change behavior, consider not focusing on the behavior itself. Instead, build a deep understanding of the drivers that, as a pattern, shape an individual's behavior.
To change behavior is to change the environment in which one operates.