In order to implement any significant change you must follow a phased in approach. During the innovation phase you will need to involve no more than 10 percent of your employees and customers. The team that you select (both employees and customers) must be highly engaged and have a passion for the product. Never allow the “status quo protectors” to be involved in this stage.
The goals of this phase are as follows:
- Create energy and excitement for the innovation
- Reward your most engaged employees and customers by involving them in the change
- Prove the innovation is valid
- Make the innovation exclusive in order to build demand
- Rapidly implement the change in order to receive maximum benefit to the organization
Most organization completely overlook phase I or involve the wrong employees and market to the wrong customers. Great management does not allow this to happen. They do not demand perfection, they demand action. They allow the flexibility and forgiveness needed in order to evolve the process to the point of effectively moving to phase II (the implementation phase). Never mass market during phase I. You will know that phase II is beginning when employees and customers start feeling left behind and demand to be included.
