Establish a point of view. In a world of people who stand for nothing more than more of the same, a sharply articulated point of view (POV) is your greatest asset. It's a sword that lets you slay the dragons of precedent. It's a rudder that lets you steer a steady course when others are blown about by fad and whim. And it's a beacon that attracts those who are looking for something worthy of their allegiance. A powerful POV is credible, coherent, compelling, and commercial. To be credible, it must be founded on unimpeachable data. To be compelling, it must speak to people's emotions, telling them why your cause will make a difference in their world. To be commercial, it must have a clear link to the bottom line.
Write a manifesto. It's not enough to have a POV; you have to be able to pass it on, to infect others with your ideas. Like Thomas Paine, whose Common Sense became the inspiration for the American Revolution, you have to write a manifesto. It doesn't have to be long, but it must capture people's imaginations. It must paint a picture of what is and what is coming that causes discomfort. And it must provide a vision that inspires others.
Create a coalition. You can't change the direction of your company all by yourself. You need to build a coalition, a group of colleagues who share your vision and passion. It's easy to dismiss corporate rebels when they are fragmented and isolated. But when they present themselves as a coordinated group, speaking in a single voice, they cannot be ignored. And remember, as you struggle to attract recruits to your cause, you will have an advantage over top management. Your army will be made up of volunteers; theirs will be composed of conscripts. Conscripts fight to stay alive; volunteers fight to win.
Pick your targets. Sooner or later, a manifesto has to become a mandate if it's going to make a difference. The movement has to get the blessing of "the suits." That's why activists always identify and target a potential champion-an individual or a group of people that can yank the real levers of power. Ultimately, the support of senior management is the object of your crusade. Make an effort to understand them-the pressures they face, the objectives they have to fulfill. Find some who are searching for help and ideas, and go after them. If necessary, bend your ideals a bit to fit their goals. And don't forget that leaders are often more receptive to new thinking than are the minions who serve them.
Co-opt and neutralize. Some activists further their causes by confronting and embarrassing their adversaries. Such tactics may work in the public sphere, but in a business setting they'll probably get you fired. You need to disarm and co-opt, not demean and humiliate. To win over IBM's feudal lords, John Patrick constructed a set of win-win propositions for them: Lend me some talent, and I'll build a showcase for your products. Let me borrow a few of your top people, and I'll send them back with prototypes of cool new products. Reciprocity wins converts; ranting leaves you isolated and powerless.
Find a translator. Imagine how a buttoned-down dad looks at a daughter who comes home with green hair and an eyebrow ring. That's the way top management is likely to view you and your co-conspirators. And that's why you need a translator, someone who can build a bridge between you and the people with the power. At IBM, John Patrick was a translator for Dave Grossman. He helped the top brass understand the connection between the apparent chaos of the Web and the disciplined world of large-scale corporate computing. Senior staffers and newly appointed executives are often good translator candidates-they're usually hungry for an agenda to call their own.
Win small, win early, win often. None of your organizing efforts is worth anything if you can't demonstrate that your ideas actually work. You need results. Start small. Unless you harbor kamikaze instincts, search for demonstration projects that won't sink you or your cause if they should fail-for some of them will fail. You may have to put together a string of successful projects before top management starts throwing money your way. You have to help your company feel its way toward revolutionary opportunities, step by step. And as your record of wins gets longer, you'll find it much easier to make the transition from an isolated initiative to an integral part of the business. Not only will you have won the battles; you will have won the war.
Source: G.Hamel, "Waking Up IBM: How a Gang of Unlikely RebelsTransformed Big Blue:' Harvard Business Review, July-August 2000.
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