Using Math to Prove Innovation is Possible (Part 2)

In part 1, I shared how it is really hard to get innovation to market in companies because the math doesn’t add up.

So here in part 2, I am sharing things you can do to increase your chances of successfully getting folks aligned on your innovation.

Let’s start with another math equation on change

When the perceived negative cost/impact of staying the same is less than the perceived positive benefit/impact of making the change. Change doesn’t happen.

But

When the perceived negative cost of staying the same is greater than the perceived cost of making the change and the perceived positive impact of the change significantly increases the chances for survival. Change can happen.

Why? Because in the second equation, the innovation is perceived as increasing the likelihood of survival more than it will hurt to make the change.

Think of it this way/ The idea is that if you can get others to believe that staying the same is going to negatively impact their chances for survival more, then it is going to hurt them to change or that changing is going to increase the chances for survival enough to justify the pain of changing people might be willing to change.

So to get acceptance of your recommended change, you must convince others that your innovation is going to increase their chances for survival while also convincing them the change won’t hurt as much as they think it will. But you must achieve both.

Here are some things you can do to increase your likelihood of influencing people to adopt your innovation.

Start with don’t skip sharing the What’s In It For Me

Make sure your messaging is clear around the value of the innovation. How is it going to create value for the individual and the organization, thus increasing chances for survival. The people you are trying to influence must fully appreciate and understand what is in it for them and how it increases their chances for survival. Here is how I recommend talking about the value of the innovation.

Don’t skimp on the repetition

People will need to hear your messaging often. Please don’t assume they heard you the first time or interpreted you correctly the second time, or understood the value the third time. Keep on sharing the story with anyone who will listen, and every time they will listen.

An excellent way to know if people are starting to embrace the idea is if people start asking questions. You are presenting something new if no one is asking questions; they aren’t engaged on the journey and therefore won’t be part of the group of people needed (at least 5) to get to the decision to move forward. Questions are a sign people are beginning to see the value and want to know more, don’t be offended by questions; embrace them.

Pay attention to the principles of the Diffusion of Innovation

The Theory of Diffusion of Innovation was written into existence by E.M. Rodgers in 1962. It was initially intended to explain how an idea or product gains momentum and becomes acceptable in groups. Five factors impact the successful adoption of an innovation over time. In order to be adopted, an innovation must

• Have a relative advantage - your innovation must be better than what it is replacing and can be seen as increasing the likelihood of survival (creates value)

• Be compatible - meaning others can see how it fits with what came before it and can understand how it could fit in the future.

• Not be too complex - it has to be easy enough to understand, use or do that others will understand, use or do it

• Have been able to be tried- let people experience it before they buy it, or you fully build/implement it. Prototypes, iterations, experiments, and tests.

• Have observable results - others need to be able to see and appreciate the positive results/impacts of the innovation.

Three things you can do to put the Diffusion of Innovation into practice.

People tell themselves stories, and people love the stories they tell themselves. You are trying to change people's stories. Do these things to help people change their stories and adopt your innovation

• Share testimonials or feedback of others whose stories have positively been impacted by the innovation or have a perspective on how the current reality isn’t working as good as those who need to accept your idea may think. The more the people giving the testimonials mirror the audiences you are trying to convince, the better. Help people see themselves in other people's stories.

• Create visual/physical examples that make the innovation real for others. The mind process pictures more thoroughly, and muscles build memory. Let people see and experience the innovation. With experience and visuals, new becomes less scary. People’s imaginations are clouded by their experiences, preferences, and beliefs. I promise if others can’t see or experience your innovation, it looks/works differently in each person you are talking with mind. So even if they say yes, what they are saying yes to isn’t what you will deliver.

• Share data. A lot of resistance to innovation isn’t based on facts; it’s based on firmly held beliefs. Beliefs that have gotten people to where they are at, and since they are currently surviving, they believe they are valuable beliefs. Data helps people get comfortable with new ideas because people aren’t stupid; they are just confident and comfortable with what they know (or think they know). Data helps create new knowledge based on facts. New data leads to discomfort. Discomfort leads to new decisions. So when the data shows a believable gap between a current belief and reality or when it can believably show how the innovation is going to increase chances for survival, or it shows how not changing is going to lead to not surviving. People will be more likely to embrace a change.

And when you show how your innovation increases the chances for survival, they will be more likely to embrace the change.

Conclusion

Change is hard, okay.

Change is required for survival.

There are things that you can do to bring innovation to life in your organization, but it will likely require you to embrace new approaches and experience discomfort and failure. ITs worth the personal cost because survival is at stake.

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.