One of my favorite books’ pre-dates the wonderful Dot-Com explosion and bubble, and one of my favorite authors has a book that I find places to apply the ideas in that one book. I wrote previously about Cult is the root of culture, but I really missed a single point.  

Changing culture is done in large corporations by having a marketing campaign and creating presentations about change. Maybe finding one or two senior managers who can act as ‘change agents.’ Does this work? (Maybe you should answer that question not me.) 

What Geoffrey Moore talks about in his book has to do with innovation, but I believe anytime there is a needed change the model works well. His book describes the diffusion of innovations which goes back to 1962 by Everett Rogers.  

Yep it’s a bell curve… And as much as people gripe and moan it works. Everyone thinks they are good drivers, but realistically most of us are somewhere in the average. But this curve has two far ends, one with innovators (Steve Jobs, Elon Musk etc.) as the top say 2-3% and the next 10-15% as early adopters (those standing in line to get some new tech.). The rest (the 68% of the people in the above average/below average) and the people trailing are going to wait till whatever change has crossed the chasm.  

That first 12-18% who are willing to change are the people that you need to focus on. If you are trying to change culture, change a process, change anything, these are the people who are willing to take the risk. You need to find those people, and work only with only those people. Treat it like new tech that is ‘invite only’ an exclusive club. If you get that first generation to change the notion of that exclusivity adds to the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out.). The middle 68% will see the success of that top group and will want in.  

Finding those people depends on what you are trying to change, but obviously anyone who pushes back is not one of those people. And as said make it invite only, and even better make it a challenge to get into the group (so they want to be there) will help drive the desire to make the change. This is not easy, and others will say change is not easy period. But using the diffusion of innovation will give you a chance to succeed, more than any marketing campaign for people who say ‘I will wait to see if anyone else gets it to work’. 

So if you want change, culture, style of work or other find the visionaries have them help build the change, find the early adopters get them on board and the rest will eventually follow.

This opinion is mine, and mine only, my current or former employers have nothing to do with it. I do not write for any financial gain, I do not take advertising and any product company listed was not done for payment. But if you do like what I write you can donate to the charity I support (with my wife who passed away in 2017) Morgan Stanley’s Children’s Hospital or donate to your favorite charity. I pay to host my site out of my own pocket, my intention is to keep it free.  I do read all feedback, I mostly wont post any of them

This Blog is a labor of love, and was originally going to be a book.  With the advent of being able to publish yourself on the web I chose this path.  I will write many of these and not worry too much about grammar or spelling (I will try to come back later and fix it) but focus on content.  I apologize in advance for my ADD as often topics may flip.  I hope one day to turn this into a book and or a podcast, but for now it will remain a blog.   New Images are created using AI with license to use.