There are significant differences between Viral Change™ and the traditional ways to approach management of change. The traditional way is linear: big problems need big solutions, big programmes, and big communication cascading down. Viral Change™ is non-linear (like life!): problems or challenges of any size can be dealt with by a small, well-chosen set of critical, non-negotiable behaviours, which are practiced and spread by a relatively small number of highly influential people. This creates a critical (and growing) mass of followers who copy each other, shaping change faster and more effectively. The key to success is the orchestration of this.
Here is a summary of the 10 main differences:
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The Traditional Way |
Viral Change™ |
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Mechanistic view of the organization (‘the organization’) |
Organisms as a model of the organization (‘the organism’) |
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Top-down change and leadership |
Multi-centric change and distributed leadership, grass roots-like. Several small fires in different places on a mountain create a big fire. |
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Hierarchical influence is explicitly or tacitly driven |
Peer-to-peer influence more important than hierarchical when it comes to culture. |
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Emphasis on processes (‘behaviours are a consequence’) |
Emphasis on behaviours and the behavioural DNA of the organization, needed to sustain new processes |
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‘Telling people’ what to do takes most air time |
Selling ideas to people and getting buy-in through peer influence is the real engine |
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Communication, communication, communication |
Infection of ideas and behaviours. Social movement |
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Advocacy at best: ‘this is good, follow me’ |
Activism: ‘I am doing x, what about you?’ |
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Formal programme. ‘Another corporate initiative’ (talk>act) |
Well-designed informality. Many times silent, often invisible (act>talk) |
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‘Tsunami’: everybody involved, massive communication, then pray |
‘Butterfly’: small changes multiplied a thousand times by a champions community (see Viral Change™ book) |
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External change experts in every corner |
Internal engine of leadership (Champions) supported semi-invisibly by a joint (consulting & client) small team |