About this Course

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What does it mean to truly change something? How does one persuade others to change? How do we reduce roadblocks to change? In this course, you’ll learn about the barriers to change and how to become more effective in inspiring change within others and your organization. Professor Jonah Berger of the Wharton School has designed this course to help you understand the REDUCE framework, and shows you how to develop your skills of persuasion and influence. By the end of this course, you’ll know both the strengths and weaknesses of certain strategies for removing barriers in change, plus you'll learn how to leverage those strategies to achieve change in both business and in life.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 5 hours to complete

English

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 5 hours to complete

English

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.87/5 (172 Ratings)

Jonah Berger

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating99%(1,123 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Module 1 - The Challenge of Change

In this module, we’ll begin by identifying the challenges of change and by defining what the Status Quo Bias is. You’ll weigh the advantages and disadvantages of change, and understand the right balance between potential gains and losses to overcome loss aversion. You’ll learn about the

1 hour to complete

3 videos (Total 19 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week2

Week 2

1 hour to complete

Module 2 - Removing Reactance and Endowment

In this module, you’ll examine why warnings backfire, and learn how to ease the Endowment Effect to accomplish your goals. By analyzing the case studies of Procter & Gamble’s Tide Pods and the Arden House Experiments, you’ll be able to identify the process in which warnings become recommendations and the importance of agency and control for people. You’ll learn about successful strategies that allow for more agency in change — and through analyzing real-life examples, you'll discover how easing the Endowment Effect will help others let go of the attachment to the status quo. By the end of this module, you’ll learn effective strategies for surfacing the cost of inaction and framing new things as old, plus you'll be able to encourage others to change with more agency.

1 hour to complete

9 videos (Total 47 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Module 3 - Overcoming Confirmation Bias and Uncertainty

This module was designed to help you analyze the elements of distance and uncertainty in barriers to change and how to overcome them. By discussing examples of political polarization and Confirmation Bias, you’ll distinguish between the zone of acceptance and region of rejection, and assess strategies such as finding the movable middle and finding an unsticking point. You’ll explore the cost of uncertainty and analyze the strategies of Zappos, Acura, and Kia to evaluate best practices on lowering upfront costs. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to employ a toolbox of approaches to overcome elements of distance and uncertainty in change, and be prepared to bring the right persuasive skills to any situation.

2 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 69 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Module 4 - The Importance of Corroborating Evidence

In this module, you’ll examine the importance of corroborating evidence and choosing the right strategy for different segments of people and businesses. By looking at examples of the translation problem, you’ll gain a better understanding of the need for more proof and how concentration increases impact. Through the analogy of the sprinkler and fire hose strategies, you’ll discuss how to find the right balance of methods and where to spend your resources, depending on how strong the attitude for change is in a given group of individuals. By the end of this module, you’ll have a deeper understanding of all of the elements of barriers to change, plus you'll be able to strategize on how to best mitigate them to allow for greater changes within yourself and your organization.

1 hour to complete

5 videos (Total 24 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.8

102 reviews

5 stars
87.10%
4 stars
11%
3 stars
1.25%
2 stars
0.62%

TOP REVIEWS FROM REMOVING BARRIERS TO CHANGE

by KASep 23, 2021

One of the most interesting and applicable courses on here. Easy to follow and undertand and was engaging! Highly recommend!

by BWJul 24, 2022

Really worthwhile introductory course with practical applications easily highlighted throughout. Citing sources would have warranted 5 stars.

by NKAug 17, 2020

Great course! I learned a lot that is applicable in my everyday work in sales and business development. I would recommend this course to anyone, even people that do not work in business.

by AHSep 18, 2022

The framework can be used across multiple departments to create a plan for strategic change. I learened just what i was expecting to learn

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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Removing Barriers to Change