The process by which an idea or innovation is communicated through an organization and adopted by its members is the science and art of change management. Growth principle number eight notes that the strategy must evolve from “Me” to “We” to be successful.
Concept:
Good ideas often start with the creativity and thinking of individuals, but great ideas that stick are honed and redefined by groups of people. Any growth strategy must evolve from being singular (one person, department, or senior leader), to being collective for successful implementation.
There is a brief window when ideas, initiatives, or change efforts can be modified to fit the culture and structure. After that, the concept is rapidly routinized, embedded into an organizations’ structure, and associated with a particular person or team. During this window you want to get input and feedback from a cross-section of people (different departments, stakeholders, customers, etc.). This process creates “stickiness” and generates buy-in across all groups and increases the likelihood of implementation success.
Reflection:
Are you building strong coalitions for your growth strategy? How do colleagues describe the owner of the strategy?
Action Step:
Develop a plan to systematically get feedback, advice, and change agents for your growth strategy. Use multiple communication channels to celebrate their contributions.
