© AtKisson Inc AMOEBA A Tool for Training and Planning on Innovation and Cultural Change Presentation slides and templates for use in connection with the

© AtKisson Inc

AMOEBA

A Tool for Training and Planning on Innovation and

Cultural Change

Presentation slides and templates for use in connection with the Amoeba Manual – v. 2.4

The ISIS Accelerator – Tools for Sustainability

© AtKisson Inc

How to Use These Slides

➤ For presentations• Explain the Amoeba model or other tools like the Gilman

Equation. Add your own illustrations.

➤ For training workshops• Run the Amoeba role-playing exercise and debrief it

➤ For creating graphics• Use the images to help illustrate reports or handouts

Amoeba

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The Purpose of Amoeba

To support successful diffusion of innovations for sustainability, and to support change agents in navigating cultural change processes

Amoeba - Introduction

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Use Amoeba When you Need to ...

➤ Share information about how new ideas spread

➤ Prepare a team or group for working with a cultural change process within an organization or community

➤ Train Change Agents to be more effective at planning for the introduction of sustainability-related ideas

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The Biological and SocialFoundations of Change

for Sustainable Development

Introduction Story on

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Natural Instincts for Sustainability?

➤ Humans are like other higher apes, to which we are closely related. These biological factors influence our ability to learn and change.

➤ We have inborn fight, flight, or freeze responses.

➤ We tend to be very hierarchical and power conscious.

➤ We tend to be “resource opportunists.”

➤ Etc.Systems Thinker?

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But we can change!

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“Innovation Diffusion”

➤ ... is how new ideas spread through any cultural or organizational group

➤ How to Start MovementTake 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA8z7f7a2Pk&feature=related Take 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V74AxCqOTvg

➤ All of them learned by watching others, following the example of a few “early adopters”

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Core Concept: Innovation Diffusion Theory The Innovation Adoption Curve

➤ When a new idea is introduced, initially the adoption is slow.

➤ “Change Agents” convince “Early Adopters” to try it, approve it, use it, etc.

➤ After reaching 15-20% of a target group, the innovation reaches “take-off” and spreads quickly, as the number of adopters multiplies

Takeoff

Time

Numberof PeopleAdoptingtheInnovation

SUCCESSFUL

UNSUCCESSFUL

Source: Adapted from Everett Rogers, “Diffusion of Innovations,” 1962, Revised 1995, 2003, Free Press

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Sustainable Development and Innovation Diffusion

➤ Sustainable development is a process that includes the spread of innovations, which brings with it cultural change

➤ Cultural change is almost invisible to us – like water to a fish

➤ Understanding cultural change is critical to doing sustainable development successfully

➤ To understand cultural change, we use a metaphor – the Amoeba

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The Amoeba of CultureA Metaphor for Cultural Innovation & Change Process

Source: Adapted from an idea by Robert Gilman

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INNOVATION

CHANGE AGENTS

INNOVATORS

TRANSFORMERS

MAINSTREAMERS

LAGGARDS

REACTIONARIES

ICONOCLASTS

CONTROLLERSCURMUDGEONS

SPIRITUALRECLUSES

T

CA

MM

M

M

M

M

M

M

M

L

L

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< R

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The Amoeba of Cultural ChangeDifferent roles people play in relationship to a specific innovation

© AtKisson, Inc.

I >

I >

Source: Alan AtKisson, Believing Cassandra (1999) and The ISIS Agreement (2008)

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Innovator

The person who invented, discovered, or first fell in love with an idea.

Innovators tend to be so close to their idea that they have difficulty seeing it from other people’s perspective.

They forget to simplify the message, and they focus on features instead of benefits.

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Change Agent

A person skilled at promoting new ideas.

Change Agents absorb the concept from the Innovator, and then find ways to communicate the new idea to other people.

Often they “repackage” the ideas, to make it easier to convince people to try them or to adopt them.

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Transformer

Organizational or cultural gatekeeper, interestedin new ideas, but selective about which ones they allow into the system.

Transformers work to “install” the idea so that it becomes part of the system ... and transforms it.

When Transformers adopt a new idea, others are likely to follow them.

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Mainstreamer

The ‘normal people’, at least in relation to the new idea.

Mainstreamers only adopt a change when the incentives are right, and when the people around them are also adopting it.

Otherwise, Mainstreamers are ‘busy’ and not overly interested in new ideas, which may be distracting, or even risky.

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Laggard

Someone who delays adopting a change as long as possible.

Laggards find the current way of doing things comfortable and familiar. They switch to a new way only when they have to.

They are not really against new ideas; they just like the old ideas better!

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Reactionary

A person who has a vested interest in resisting the change, and is highlymotivated to stop its successful implementation.

Reactionaries believe that if the change occurs, they will lose something valuable.

‘Something valuable’ could include money, power, or a psychological value (for example, their feeling of being an authority on the old way).

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Iconoclast

A critic of the way things are, who sees problems, calls attention to them, and critiques those who are perceived to be the cause of the problem.

Iconoclasts are generally skeptical, and often angry. They attack Reactionaries ... but they sometimes also attack Change Agents.

Change Agents need to avoid negative attention from them, and use them strategically.

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Curmudgeon

People who are fundamentally pessimistic about change.

Curmudgeons believe a change will never be adopted ... or, if it is adopted, that it won’t work ... or that it might make things worse instead of better.

Curmudgeons can ‘infect’ a change effort with ‘negative energy’. (Hint: most Curmudgeons are actually Innovators and Change Agents who failed in the past.)

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Recluse

The people and institutions whose focus is on longer-term issues of vision, ethics, and belief.

Recluses usually do not engage with specific change efforts. They observe from a distance, and remark on whether the changes appear to be contributing to their long-term aspirations for society.

Recluses can sometimes be recruited to help a change effort, but their actions are unpredictable and uncontrollable.

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Controller

The people or mechanisms that set the rules for how the culture works, and what its purpose is.

If the innovation appears to affect the culture’s guiding purpose, or to change its basic rules, a Controller can ‘awaken’ – and become a ‘Super-Transformer’ or ‘Super-Reactionary’.

For most change efforts, it is best to avoid Controllers. But one must be prepared for to meet them, with good answers to tough questions.

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The Amoeba Game

Now we will play a short role-playing game.

Each of you will receive a role in the Amoeba.

I will explain the scenario.

When I give the start signal, please act your role, without telling people what it is.

Read your instructions carefully. Give a signal that you are ready to begin.

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AMOEBA role game

Applied Innovation Theory for Strategic Planning

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We will pretend that this is a meeting sponsored by

[ NAME OF SCENARIO ORGANIZATION ]

➤ You are all here representing different sectors and organizations

➤ You will each receive a role-play card that describes your identity and your general attitude to new ideas

➤ When I give the signal, we will start a “coffee break” and mingle in the identified game area

➤ We will observe what happens when someone tries to introduce a new idea and get people to sign a statement in support of it

➤ The action will be a bit chaotic. Whatever happens is okay – there is no “right” or “wrong” to play (within reason). We will debrief the experience afterwards

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Amoeba: A Reminder about the Roles

➤ Innovator formulates / discovers / champions new ideas

➤ Change Agents translate / promote the ideas to target groups

➤ Transformers early adopters, approve of and spread the ideas

➤ Mainstreamers adopt ideas when everybody else does

➤ Laggards late adopters (do not like change)

➤ Reactionary actively resist the change (have something to lose)

➤ Iconoclast identifies problems and critiques the status quo

➤ Recluse preoccupied with other matters, philosophical, detached

➤ Curmudgeon cynical grouches, complainers ... “why bother?”

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The Amoeba Game Debrief

What happened? What did you see happening around you?

What roles were people playing?

What did you experience in your role?

What determined how fast the idea spread through the group?

What parallels can you draw between this exercise and your real experience?

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Key Strategy Points

➤ Innovators need Change Agents

➤ Change Agents need to work with Transformers.

➤ Change Agents are more effective when they work together.

➤ Reactionaries are most effective when they discredit or

disempower Change Agents.

➤ Change Agents may waste time if they spend it trying to change

Reactionaries.

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Key Strategy Points, continued

➤ Innovators often make ineffective Change Agents.

➤ Innovators and Change Agents often neglect to model the

innovation themselves.

➤ Innovators often remain attached to a "pure" formulation of their

idea, at the expense of the innovation's diffusion potential.

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➤ Mainstreamers get restless; they often want some change to

happen. But they are generally fearful of too much change

➤ It's often easier to stop real change — to be a Reactionary —

than to be a Change Agent.

➤ Reactionaries usually feel that their actions are contributing to

the good of the whole. (And remember ... often, they are right.)

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➤ Iconoclasts should keep Reactionaries busy.

➤ Iconoclasts often make terrible Change Agents, and vice

versa

➤ Curmudgeons can make change difficult.

➤ Many Curmudgeons used to be Change Agents, but they

became disappointed and disillusioned.

➤ Recluses can either facilitate change or retard it.

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[Add case study]

➤ [Pick an example of innovation diffusion and sustainability, positive or negative, from your own experience]

➤ [Describe what happened in Amoeba terms]

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Creating an “Amoeba Map”

Start with a blank sheet of paper, and draw an “amoeba”.

Draw a map that shows where are the different people, or departments, in your cultural system.

Especially label the Transformers, Laggards, Reactionaries, Curmudgeons and Iconoclasts.

Don’t forget yourself – are you the Change Agent? Are there others?

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One way to use Amoeba ...

For each of the roles in a culture or group that you are trying to change, think about:

What is your relationship to the person in this role?

What will that person be most interested in / concerned about, with regard to this innovation?

What will your “approach/avoidance strategy” be with each person?

WORKSHEET

Change Agent

Transformer

Laggard

Reactionary

Iconoclast

Curmudgeon

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The “Gilman Equation”:A Strategic Change-Planning Tool

PerceivedValue of theNEW Idea

PerceivedValue of theOLD Way

PerceivedCOST of theCHANGE

N - O > CC, or ...

Source: Robert Gilman, cited in AtKisson, Believing Cassandra

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The Three “Avenues for Action”The Three “Avenues for Action”Derived from the Gilman EquationDerived from the Gilman Equation

1. Increase the Perceived Value of the New Idea (Marketing and Promotion)





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2. Decrease the Perceived Value of the Old Way (Protest and Criticism)





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3. Decrease the Perceived Cost of Change (Facilitation, Assistance, Subsidies, etc.)





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5 Critical Characteristics of Innovations

(1) RELATIVE ADVANTAGE

(2) COMPLEXITY

(3) OBSERVABILITY

(4) TRIALABILITY

(5) COMPATIBILITY

Source: Everett Rogers, “Diffusion of Innovations,” 1962, Revised 1995, Free Press

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Relative Advantage: "Is the innovation better than the status quo? Will people perceive it as better? If not, the innovation will not spread quickly, if at all." [Example: the replacement of 8-track tapes with cassettes, or CDs for vinyl.] Complexity: "How difficult is the innovation to understand and apply? The more difficult, the slower the adoption process." [Example: VCRs were relatively slow to catch on at first, because they were so complicated to use.] Trialability: "Can people try out the innovation first? Or must they commit to it all at once? If the latter, people will be far more cautious about adopting it." [Example: A new hair style or permanent tattoo has low trialability.]

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Observability: "How visible are the results of using it? If people adopt it, can the difference be discerned by others? If not, the innovation will spread more slowly." [Example: New clothes have high observability; psychotherapy has very low observability.] Compatibility: "How does the innovation fit with people’s past experiences and present needs? If it doesn’t fit both well, it won’t spread well. Does it require a change in existing values? If members of the culture feel as though they have to become very different people if they adopt the innovation, they will probably be more resistant to doing so."

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Using the Gilman Equation

Use the “Gilman Equation” and the “Avenues for Action” to brainstorm strategies for advancing your idea.

Which of these ways will work best with which roles?

WORKSHEET

Ways to increase the perceived value of the NEW idea

Ways to decrease the perceived value of the OLD way

Ways to reduce the perceived COST OF CHANGE

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The Seven Secret Powers of the Change Agent(from “The ISIS Agreement,” by Alan AtKisson, 2008)

1. Invitation2. Volunteering3. Facilitation4. Simplification5. Creativity6. Patience7. Not Seeking Power

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John [email protected]

http://regenerativeorganizations.com

Visit: www.AtKisson.com

Thank you.

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Strategy and

Inspiration Company

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Amoeba

Documents

© AtKisson Inc AMOEBA A Tool for Training and Planning on Innovation and Cultural Change Presentation slides and templates for use in connection with the