Using influence and networks for change Flashcards
Stages in individual adoption
- Awareness
- Interest: target is curious about the innovation
- Trial: prepared to evaluate costs and benefits of the innovation, assess innovations probability of success
- adoption: target adopts the innovation and uses it regularly
Tipping
threshold of adoption on the S-shaped curve where the process of future adoption is self-generating
Bandwagon effect
Presence of a critical mass of adoptions is reason enough for other adopters to adopt without management intervention
Strategize on the S-shaped curve from the “waist down”
Focus resources on starting the process up to the point where it is self-generating
Innovation adoption lifecycle
Innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, resistors
Managing Attutudes to promote change
- Pick the low-hanging fruit first: build traction through use of org’s innovators
- Identify powerful people who are likely champions
- will help prejudice opinions of undecided majority
Innovators
How to spot them
- Accumulate knowledge
- Like to share knowledge all the time
- High awareness and interest
- “Market Mavens”
What they do
- Primed to experiment with risky but promising innovations
- Persuasive but unselfish credibility is infectious to others
Influence tactics
- Face to face meeting
- Magazine
- Memo
Early Adopters
How to spot them
- Know a lot of people in diverse parts of the firm
- Brokers with few degrees of separation from key org players
- Persons who do many shared activities
- Interest inc. with trial by Mavens
What they do
- Connectedness and cosmopolitanism put them ahead of the majority
- Spread ideas (contagious element that infects early majority)
Influence tactics
- Seek advice
- Workshop
- Staff meetings
- External speaker
Early Majority
How to spot them
- Look for predictable returns
- Risk is not exciting
- Think mavens waste their time
- Attend to brokers & status
What they do
-Get the bandwagon going with a critical mass of adopters
Influence tactics
- Director’s meeting
- Pilot testing
- Directives
- Cover lobbying
Late majority
How to spot them
- “if it aint broke, dont fix it” mentality
- See change as net gain of zero
- Are influenced by bandwagons, but won’t admit it
What they do
-jump on the band wagon after a critical mass has adopted
Influence tactics
- want to fit in, do what’s normative
- make adoption rate salient: broadcast, get message out, raise profile
Resistors
How to spot them
- Never support an initiative but their own
- Always play “Devil’s advocate”
Influence tactics
- Seek advice
- Workshop
- Staff meetings
- External speaker
How to overcome resistance
Demonstrate, sell, train, negotiate, co-opt, network, build coalition, authority
Certain kinds of people are particularly helpful
Mavens-adopt early and get the ball rolling
Connectors- transition the innovation from “weird” to “legitimate”
Normals- achieve the tipping point
