Trial Run

To me a bicycle was balloon tires and baskets. You rode it to your friend’s house or maybe to school. I loved my bicycle; it was blue, a three-speed from Wards. When I met Karl, he had more than one bicycle and he raced. He wore funny clothes and a helmet. When I found out how much the equipment cost, I was horrified. I bought my bike for about $100.00 and I thought that was a lot of money. “Just try it,” he coaxed. “You can see for yourself what a racing bike is like. Even if you ride in jeans, you can tell the difference.” I wasn’t convinced, but I thought I would be nice and, what the heck, it was just a ride around the block. I hopped on. The seat needed some adjustment. The handlebar was down and it seemed a little strange, but then I began to pedal. The bike took off. It almost had a life of its own. It seemed to be pedaling for me. “Wow!” I shouted! “This thing really goes!” I was hooked after that run!

When the organization is not willing to commit to the new idea, suggest that they experiment with it for a short period and study the results.

You are an Evangelist(144). You’re getting worn out as you attempt to address the concerns people have about the new idea because it doesn’t look like the questions and objections are going to end anytime soon.

There are people in the organization who are expressing an endless supply of objections to the new idea. It would be a daunting, or even impossible, task to try to ease everyone’s worries before the new idea is adopted.

Fear is often what keeps us talking and questioning but stops us from doing anything. However, even though people may be fearful of change, they usually love to experiment. Change means risk. An experiment is something you can undo and walk away from when you are all the wiser.

Ideas that can be tested on an installment plan are generally adopted more rapidly than those that are not. If people are offered a trial period, they will have the opportunity to experiment with the innovation under their own conditions. This is likely to ease their uncertainties and give meaning to something that was previously seen as only an abstract idea.

It’s more effective to let people convince themselves through sight and touch than to try to convince them with words and logic. For “test purposes” is a convenient label for temporarily transferring “unacceptable” ideas into an “acceptable” category, until such time that the idea can gain the persuasive power to become part of the established way of doing things.

Therefore:

Suggest that the organization, or a segment of the organization, try the new idea for a limited period as an experiment.

Be specific about the time and what will be done during this period. Suggest how you and the organization will evaluate the success of the new idea at the end of this period. People must feel that there is limited risk and no obligation to go on after the trial period.

Make certain people understand that their concerns will not be discounted during the trial period; keep a record of all points of view. Use Fear Less(151) and Champion Skeptic(116) for people who are not willing to temporarily put their skepticism aside during the experiment.

Adopt the attitude that any failure during this trial run is not a mistake, but rather a lesson. If you take Time for Reflection(240), you will find that growth is a process of experimentation, a series of trials, errors, and occasional victories. Things that don’t work out as you had hoped are as much a part of the process as the things that do work.

If you see some Small Successes(216), spread the word with Hometown Story(164). Start a Study Group(228) to explore the future possibilities.

Don’t expect to get everyone on board after this limited experiment. This is one way to Test the Waters(237). It is likely to be most effective for reaching Innovators(170) and Early Adopters(138), but even the die-hard skeptics may appreciate a new idea if you can show that it will make their jobs easier.

= = = = = = = = =

This approach builds validation for the new idea as it moves through the test period. The trial will help potential users understand how the innovation can fit into their organization. This puts you in a better position to capture the attention of a Local Sponsor(186) and to justify continuing work with the new idea. If it is truly a good idea, it will sell itself. If it’s not, it remains a “test” and fades away.

This trial period can place a lot of extra work on your shoulders. People will probably see you as the leader of the experiment even though you are still learning about the innovation yourself. Prepare for this task by first taking the time to Just Do It(177) before you suggest a trial run in the organization.

Ellen devised a new process for assigning individuals to committees. Because it was quite different from what was already in place, it was met with controversy. Ellen patiently addressed as many concerns as she could, but when the proposal came to the decision makers for approval, the questions continued during the meeting for almost 30 minutes. Finally, one of the few supporters said, “Look, what we have isn’t working now. We need something better. This document is what we’re proposing…if you don’t like it, propose something else, but for heaven’s sake, propose something because our present system needs to be improved.” After a few moments of silence, Ellen suggested that the organization just try the new process, evaluate it, and make any needed modifications after it had been in place for a year. She also promised to take an active role in carrying out the details. The document passed with an 8 to 3 vote in favor.

The Office of the Vice Chancellor was overworked. The university had grown and, as a result, the number of issues and problems was increasing at a rate that could no longer be handled by the office with any efficiency. So the Vice Chancellor proposed adding three associates to the office. The faculty responded with fear since they were not accustomed to dealing with an additional level of administrators. The Vice Chancellor arranged a few forums in which he explained the serious problems that existed in the office. He responded to many questions but, at the final forum, he realized that there was still a great amount of trepidation. So he asked the faculty to accept the new structure for a few years and assured them that he would readjust if it didn’t work well. The faculty finally agreed. Throughout the following months, when someone would voice his apprehension about the new structure, someone else would usually remind him that it wasn’t a permanent arrangement.