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The implementation of absolutely plausible ideas is often impossible for a long time. Once the start has been made, the first obstacles appear.
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 collapsing. 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.
Is it possible to trigger such an avalanche?
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 entitled “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 established themselves as 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 popular 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 thus also 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.
The ideas have often been there 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 quickly. 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 pay 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 redundancy offer and the pay cut.
Mein Chef hat danach seine eigene Beratungsfirma gegründet und den Kunden für die nächsten 10 Jahre begleitet. Ich erhielt eine Beförderung nach einem halben Jahr im Job.
The severance proposal was well calculated. The job market at that time hardly offered any better alternatives. But the decisive factor was our change management strategy.
We focused on the motivated employees, who make up 20-30%. This created a dynamic in which 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.
The employees are roughly divided into three groups: the committed (around 30%), the non-committed (50%) and the internally dismissed (around 20%). The reasons for this are complex, and there are understandable reasons for someone not being committed or even resigning.
It is logical:
All change measures are effectively concentrated on the 30% or so who are committed.
Is the rest of the workforce being ignored?
On the contrary: the committed inform, influence and convince the non-committed. Some “infect” the others. And this is how 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”. To be honest, we have consistently applied the principles described by Gladwell in our shared services project.
Focus on the 20-30% who are committed.
Even in large companies, it is easy to recognize those who are committed. Companies are familiar with their employees. Employees and managers know their colleagues. A simple check of employee lists with clear search criteria produces quick results.
Commitment is reflected in performance, attitude and initiative. These are the employees who have a positive attitude towards 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 factory/office in windy conditions despite difficulties.
They are well-known, they have made a name for themselves in the corporate network.
But they are not necessarily yes-men.
A committed employee does not always have to agree with their line manager. 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 also has to 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.
Messages in business can be super tricky: Why should I do something differently? It used to be the same. Marketing and PR experts can convey ideas more 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 volunteers inspire other people, even those who have already internally checked out. The volunteers 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.
In the same way, an avalanche of change can be triggered:
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.
