THE POWER OF ONE OR OF A FEW
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has
- Margaret Mead
History provides us with many examples of how extraordinary social change can come from the acts of one individual or a few individuals.
- · Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a strong abolitionist, and Susan B. Anthony, the founder of the temperance movement, became friends in 1851 and went to form the Woman’s National Loyal League in 1863. The League not only supported the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery but also strongly championed the case for full citizenship for blacks and women. Slavery was abolished in 1869 but it would be 1920 before women got the right to vote.
- · In 1893 Mahatma Gandhi was forcibly thrown out of a train in South Africa. He had refused to vacate his seat in a “whites only” first class compartment. That incident sparked a resolve in him to fight against racial discrimination. It was a long and non-violent struggle but it led eventually to India’s independence in 1947.
- · In December of 1995, a woman of impeccable character and dignity, with a simple and polite act of defiance on a bus, unleashed the forces that led to the end of segregation. A nation remains forever grateful to Rosa Parks.
The history of technological evolution of course serves as a powerful validation for the concept of the power of one or of a few. Just look at the visible and invisible technology that surrounds us, assists us, and makes the quality of our life that much better. We owe a debt of gratitude to people whose names we don’t even know or barely remember. If you want to dig a little deeper take a look at this list of Top 40 innovations.
https://startupguide.com/world/the-40-greatest-innovations-of-all-time/
Forward thinking leaders can create an environment in which such ground-breaking innovation and radical change can be fostered and accelerated. One of the best known examples of this is the famous ‘skunk works” pioneered by a Chief Engineer at Lockheed Martin, Kelly Johnson. This first skunk work group designed and built America’s first fighter jet in less than 145 days! Lockheed continues to use this model for rapid innovation to this very day. Other companies have their own models of skunk works or centers for rapid and focused innovation – Google X, Amazon’s Lab 126, Nike’s Sports Research Lab and Innovation Kitchen, and IBM’s Watson Research Center.
The skunk works model does not need to be limited to technological issues. It can be applied to virtually any business function or process. In my consulting practice I have used variations of this concept and model to address both strategic and operational challenges facing my client organizations. It is remarkable what a team of cross-functional and non-hierarchical groups can achieve in a relatively short time frame. I have seen this model consistently yield substantial improvements in process speeds, customer satisfaction metrics, and employee morale.
If you want to know more about how I put this model into my consulting practice get in touch with me. [email protected]