When the tipping point is reached, rapid changes spread like a virus. It is, according to Malcom Gladwell, "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point." One of the key points he makes is a restatement of the Pareto principle - the Law of the Few. Influencing a few key people - the connectors, the mavens, and the salesmen - is critical to inducing a widespread change in behavior.
This is an important point I must remember as my scope at work expands. If I am to scale my influence, I should find the connectors, mavens, and the salesmen in the team. Managers are natural hubs, but they are not always the most effective in spreading influence. It is often better to find influential employees for they are extremely credible to the rest of the team if one is able to gain their buy in. Conversely, they are also dangerous to overall team climate if one loses their trust. A recent experience with multiple attrition underscores the disproportionate influence of certain individuals.
There is only so many hours in the week and there will never be enough to speak to every employee one by one. The most effective leaders understand the principles of the tipping point and take advantage of them to effect viral change.
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