External Validation

I’ve been trying to convince my dear friend Linda that my hometown of Asheville, North Carolina would be a great place for her husband and her to retire. She would just nod politely when I would tell her about all the things I thought the area has to offer. Then I pointed out some national publications in which the Asheville area appears as “best city” and “best place to retire.” She now tells me that they have put Asheville on their list of cities to seriously consider.

To increase the credibility of the new idea, bring in information from sources external to the organization.

You are an Evangelist(144) or Dedicated Champion(129) working to introduce a new idea into your organization. People are writing and publishing on topics related to the new idea.

Before being persuaded to accept a new idea, people want assurance that the idea has validity outside the organization.

The innovation-decision process begins with knowledge. When people become aware of an innovation, they want to understand how it works. This information can come from within the organization but, initially, external sources of information are more important. External publications have more credibility than internal technical reports that are often write-only documents that are distributed widely but largely unread.

Most people want some evidence that the innovation is not just an impractical notion of a few individuals in the organization; therefore, endorsement from outside the organization will catch their eye. External sources of information are especially important for Innovators(170) and Early Adopters(138), typically the first to adopt an innovation, because at the time they are seeking knowledge there are few in the organization who have experience with the new idea.

Therefore:

Give people in the organization external sources of useful information about the new idea.

Mass media sources are a good place to start—books, articles, and Web pages with no-nonsense information. Include success stories when you can for those who appreciate the Smell of Success(219). Make sure the publications are trusted by the people you are trying to reach. For example, managers read business journals, not technical ones.

Look for opportunities to Plant the Seeds(204). Distribute the information one-on-one with Personal Touch(198) or on a wider basis with e-Forum(135) and In Your Space(167). In addition to the written word, bring in a Big Jolt(107) speaker.

Consider presenting your work externally in a venue that is recognized by your colleagues. Publish in journals read by the people you want to convince, especially Early Adopters and anyone who is a Guru on Your Side(158). You may even want to write a book and get it published by an external publisher.

Although external sources can and should be provided at any time, use this pattern especially in the early days of your efforts, when people need knowledge and there are few opinion leaders in the organization.

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This pattern generates some validation for a new idea in the organization. It shows that the innovation is not just a local phenomenon. Because this is what people need, it is effective in gaining awareness and raising credibility. Management might see this External Validation as a sign that the competition is gaining ground in this area. This can spur decision makers to support the innovation.

But the distribution of external sources throughout your organization can be seen as intellectual browbeating. Sending books or articles up and down the chain can make people feel inadequate because they can’t keep up with the pace of reading. Use Just Enough(180) and state ideas as simple, authentic statements. Provide more background if anyone asks. External publishing also involves risks. Others across the organization might label your effort as “writing only and not working.” Make your topics factual, relevant, and useful so your colleagues don’t dismiss them as academic.

My manager never paid much attention to my research until one day I showed him a book that referenced one of my publications. He wasn’t familiar with the topic of the book, but was extremely impressed that my name appeared in it. I did not expect such an enthusiastic reaction from him, but it showed me the power of external validation!

When we moved from Level 1 to Level 2 CMM (Capability Maturity Model), we asked a few speakers from other companies at Level 2 and 3 to talk about the benefits they had realized in their organizations when they achieved these levels. This helped people to understand what could be achieved, and how these other organizations approached the changes.