You Are An Expert Witness! (Part Three)
You Are An Expert Witness!
How to leverage your expertise to be an effective Agent for Change
In the first two articles of this series, we discussed how just about anyone can be an effective Change Agent – regardless of where they are positioned in their organization. The keys to being successful as an instigator of change are:
1. Clarify your idea.
2. Consider the context.
3. Leverage your expertise.
4. Demonstrate a positive impact first - then try to save the world.
In “Part-1: Bloom Where You’re Planted”, we focused on how critical it is for change agents to describe their idea in very specific terms and engage others in clarifying the positive impact it could have. Most ideas can benefit from this sort of legitimate analysis because it sharpens the business case and exposes potential gaps before the organization has started investing in it at a broader level.
In “Part-2: Look Before You Leap!” I encouraged change agents to consider the context in which their change would potentially unfold. One important aspect of generating positive momentum from within the organization is make sure you’ve taken the time to consider the organization’s internal and external environment and what factors contribute to the motivation for doing things differently. It’s also important to be frank about what factors would potentially work against the rationale to take action.
In this third step of the Change Agent journey, I’ll offer encouragement to those who want to drive change without the benefit of positional authority or direct control of resources.
3. Think Like an Expert Witness. Just after I told you to consider the thoughts of others, let me encourage you to avoid selling out on your own position. It’s important to listen to lots of other opinions and take broad business factors into account, but don’t apologize for having an opinion that’s based mostly on your own frame of reference. After all, you don’t run the place, but you should take credit for the areas where you have deep credibility.
Your specific expertise is quite possibly the most valuable thing you can contribute as an agent of change. Think of the expert witness who’s called into court to vouch for the scientific evidence put forth in a trial. The judge and jury don’t discount their opinion just because they represent only part of the story. In fact, they listen even more closely to these opinions because they appreciate this focused expertise. Be ready to bring well-researched examples of the problem, the proposed solution and the benefits.
4. Limit the scope of your big idea. Then double it. Then save the world. If you really want to be effective as an agent of change in a large organization, I’d encourage you to limit the scope of your initial efforts. Many individual innovators get frustrated because they lack access to the boss’s ear or they fear that no one will listen to their best ideas - let alone give them a fair shot at the resources needed to help these ideas come to fruition.
One great way to eat this elephant is to start small and generate steady momentum through demonstrated success. Begin by limiting the scope of your culture change or process improvement to your local neighborhood on the org chart. Reduce political backlash by working first with people who know you well enough to trust your intentions.
Focus on small wins and make adjustments based on the reality you face as the idea rolls out on this smaller scale. Once you’ve had some success, work as a team to expound on the benefits of your idea and sell how it can scale up to help broader swaths of the company and how it may even make sense to be adopted across the entire organization.
I have found that a good idea is hard to keep down and nothing speaks to managers and executives like success. Commitment to slow, steady and rising momentum might just turn your small-scale change into a global transformation.
That sure beats commiserating with your cube mates about your boss, your manager, or your culture.
Summary: If you are an individual contributor with a great idea for innovation or culture change that you’d like to see implemented in your organization, I would encourage you to leverage the advantages I’ve mentioned. Just because you have no budget and no bully pulpit doesn't mean you can’t instigate change. But instead of pounding on your leadership as the problem or calling out your managers as the roadblocks, you’ll need to stick your neck out and lead with strength in the areas you control.
I’ll tell you up front that this form of risk-taking is not for the timid. It requires considerable discretionary effort and you may even upset a few people along the way.
But that can be said of just about any innovation or culture change worth realizing.
-Steve
Questions for Chatter:
1. What’s the one element of your organization’s culture that you’d like to see changed for the better? Who else agrees with you and how could you frame up this culture change in a way that could start to generate momentum for seeing it actually happen?
2. What particular area of your organization’s business are you uniquely qualified to talk about? How could you leverage your personal strength as an “expert witness” to raise the level of discussion around a potential change for the better in your area of expertise?
