The tipping point of a change process.

For example: despite initial successes, employees and experts doubt that the automotive industry can be successfully transformed. The facts seem to confirm this: Major manufacturers are struggling with their software units and sales of electric vehicles are stagnating or slumping. However, very few significant changes are linear. The ideas and concepts often exist for a long time. And suddenly an idea spreads like an avalanche.

Can such an avalanche be triggered?

Tipping point for avalanche-like changes

Hardly anyone can avoid superfoods these days. Chia, turmeric, quinoa, avocado and blueberries are now regularly found in every supermarket. It was a different story 15 years ago. Although the positive effects of these 'superfoods' have been known for thousands of years.

The number of books with the title "superfood" is a good way to illustrate the trend.

Until the year 2000, this term was less well known, but it is only in the last 10 years or so that "superfoods" have become a mass phenomenon. The health effects are phenomenal.

It is similar with meditation. People have been meditating in India for 5,000 years. But in the last 30 years or so, it has become widespread among broad social classes in the West.

It is possible that the popularity and spread of meditation techniques has been fueled by the proliferation of smartphones, the growth of social media and therefore the increase in our screen time.

The "field hockey stick" is striking.

Technology companies in the USA have also shown similar developments. One example of this is Amazon. It took 10 years for the idea of buying everything from books to groceries online from Amazon to catch on.

Ideas have often been around for a very long time. And then suddenly everything changes.

Ideas are like viruses, highly contagious and capable of changing the world.

At some point, there comes a point at which the new idea spreads rapidly. It is precisely this effect that we want to use in change processes.

That's what we did in my first job. The project was a consultancy to set up a shared service center. The employees had to accept new contracts with a salary cut of around 20 %. They were offered a one-off severance payment in the five- to six-figure range. I was brought in to support the change manager on the project.

The project was a legendary success. Almost all employees accepted the severance offer and the pay cut.

My boss then set up his own consultancy firm and supported the client for the next 10 years. I received a promotion after six months on the job.

The severance package was well calculated. The job market at that time hardly offered any better alternatives. But the decisive factor was our change management strategy.

Wefocused on the motivated employees, who make up 20-30% of the workforce. This created a dynamic in which our colleagues convinced each other. As soon as some of the employees opted for the offer, the others soon followed suit. A FOMO effect (fear of missing out)

Our trigger point for the avalanche of change was below 20%.

Don't boil the ocean.

Change starts with small steps, with winning over the most committed employees.

Employees are roughly divided into three groups: the engaged (about 30%), the disengaged (50%) and the internally disengaged (about 20%). The reasons for this are complex, and there are understandable reasons why someone is not committed or has even resigned.

It is logical:

All change measures are effectively focused on the 30% or so who are engaged.

Is the rest of the workforce ignored?

On the contrary: the committed inform, influence and convince the non-committed. Some "infect" the others. And so an idea, a concept, can spread like an epidemic: once it has reached a critical mass and the contextual factors are right, it spreads exponentially.

Like gravity, the epidemic spread of an idea seems to be a law of nature.

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book in 2000. "The Tipping Point". In our Shared Services project, we have, to be honest, consistently applied the laws that Gladwell described.

Focus on the 20-30% committed.

Even in large companies, recognizing the engaged is easy. Companies are familiar with their employees. Employees and managers know their colleagues. A simple review of employee lists with clear search criteria creates quick results.

Engagement is reflected in performance, attitude and initiative. These are the employees who have a positive attitude to growth and actively seek feedback, stand out with their ideas and commitment and are willing to learn and develop.

We are looking for

• the recognized technical and process experts,
• who make suggestions and introduce improvements,
• who ask for a pay rise or promotion.
• who come to the plant/office when the wind blows despite difficulties.

They are well-known, they have made a name for themselves in the company network.

But they are not necessarily yes-men.

A committed employee does not always have to agree with his superior. They can even be very critical and ask a lot of questions. Because they are looking for a challenge, they want to learn and be successful.

And it is precisely these employees who need to be won over to change.

The idea must be able to "stick"

Of course, the idea must also be convincing.

It should be easy to understand and easy to remember. The information should come from credible sources and be verifiable. It is important that it is emotionally relevant so that the idea of the new concept sticks in people's minds.

Messaging in business can be super tricky: Why should I do something different? It used to be the same. Marketing and PR experts can convey ideas concisely and simply. They have the tools to do so.

In the end, the idea must be easy to explain and remember.

The contagion effect

The committed inspire other people, even those who have already internally checked out. The people involved are convincing through their example, their network, their positive attitude and their enthusiasm.

It's not just ideas that are contagious. Above all, it is the enthusiasm and conviction of special people that can inspire others. Malcom Gladwell equated the dynamics of the spread of viruses with the spread of ideas. When the "tipping point" is reached, an avalanche of change is triggered.

In the same way, superfood, meditation and Amazon have become super trends: a small group of fans, committed and interested people have discovered the outstanding benefits for themselves. From there, it has spread like an avalanche across the world.

An avalanche of change can be triggered in exactly the same way:

The idea, the concept must be "sticky". The people involved must be identified and focused. And then they must be accompanied through the change curve with all measures: with consistent information, exclusive access to leadership, suitable training measures and coaching.

Up to a critical point. Then the avalanche, the exponential growth, is triggered.

And the change process is underway.