History offers many examples of younger, newer explorers attempting to change or shift the culture of the group they discover or meet. We walk into any situation, personal or business with preconceived notions of the
best way to accomplish something. In such cases desire + experience creates an innovation train wreck.
Fighting culture falls apart on multiple levels:
- Assumes that the current culture is wrong (hint: it isn't always wrong)
- Creates hostile environment (new v. old, us v. them)
Hint: forcing people to choose sides is giving changes the goal and creates need for a winner (and a loser)
- Puts the focus on who is right rather than innovation
So rather than change the culture, what can we do to move forward with radical, innovative ideas?
First, we need to understand who we are innovating for. We need to know everything we can about who they are and how they live life and, specifically, how they currently do that which we wish to change.
Simple right?
That's only the first level...the ante if you will.
The next part is even more important and more valuable...but much harder. We need to understand WHY they currently do it the way they do it. Is it tradition? Physical limitation? Strategy? Understanding why something is done a certain way, added to understanding the people who are doing it is critical to laying the foundation for change. How can I make a better show for you until I understand:
- Who you are (physical makeup, psychological make-up, geographical locale)
- Why you are (what brought you here, what are you all about)
- Why you walk?
- How you walk?
- When you walk?
- Etc
Only after I literally walk a mile in your shoes can I truly innovate something useful as an alternative.
Some would look at the above analogy and say that walking is no longer effective and a better mode of transportation is needed. Maybe...but what a cultural change. And can one make that call on such a huge change before they build credibility within the effected community?
Know me, understand me, THEN help me.
Wrestling with this thought has been enlightening. What better way to create life changing innovation than to connect and understand someone else. Technology gets us part of the way there...but eyes, ears and a heart will get us the rest of the way.
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