How to motivate people to do good for others

How can we get people to do more good,

to go to the polls, give to charity,
conserve resources,

or even to do something as simple
as washing their mugs at work

so that the sink isn't always
full of dirty dishes?

(Laughter)

(Applause)

When I first started
working on this problem,

I collaborated with a power company

to recruit customers for a program
that prevents blackouts

by reducing energy demand during peaks.

The program is based
on a tried-and-true technology.

It's one the Obama
Administration even called

"the cornerstone to modernizing
America's electrical grid."

But, like so many great
technological solutions,

it has a key weakness:

people.

People need to sign up.

To try to get people to sign up,
the power company sent them a nice letter,

told them about all
the program's benefits,

and it asked them to call
into a hotline if they were interested.

Those letters went out,

but the phones, they were silent.

So when we got involved,
we suggested one small change.

Instead of that hotline,

we suggested that they use sign-up sheets
that they'd post near the mailboxes

in people's buildings.

This tripled participation.

Why?

Well, we all know people care deeply
about what others think of them,

that we try to be seen
as generous and kind,

and we try to avoid being seen
as selfish or a mooch.

Whether we are aware of it or not,
this is a big part of why people do good,

and so small changes that give people
more credit for doing good,

those changes can make
a really big difference.

Small changes like
switching from a hotline,

where nobody will ever find out
about your good deed,

to a sign-up sheet

where anyone who walks by
can you see your name.