Leaders double down on failing strategies instead of changing course. Real change only happens after hitting rock bottom, because instinct overpowers reason. The speaker uses the elephant and rider metaphor to show why willpower alone can't redirect human behavior.
The only thing I've seen where people change is you kind of have to hit rock bottom. Let's say a CEO comes to me and they say, I think the best way for us to grow is SEO. And I say, oh, well, what about X, Y, Z? Or have you thought about changing the product in this way? When I challenge their idea, they will now defend the idea. And as soon as they defend the idea, now they will double down on that. I've just realized, like, trying to change people is impossible. At the end of the day, we're all like elephants and you're just the rider. You just kind of go where the elephant's going to go and hope for the best.
