I’ve been thinking a lot about how change happens in organizations. Sure, there are entire books and studies on change management processes, and consulting firms devoted to guiding you every step of the way. Often, these processes speak to executives who already want change and have the authority to impose it across the company.
But my thoughts are with the lone individuals. These might be staff members at any level or even a passionate executive who cannot get the board to fund or approve the change. They are just stuck. They present the data, make their case, deliver passionate arguments, and still their colleagues remain unconvinced. They know what they want to be different, but they have not built enough momentum or brought enough people with them to move it forward.
There is a version of advice that encourages them to try more persuasive techniques. Be more influential. Appeal to others’ motivations. That is not bad advice, but I want to advocate for something people often overlook:
Stop trying to persuade and find someone better at persuading.
Here is the reality. You are not going to convince everyone. You are not influential to everyone. You are not inspiring to everyone. And there is no point in trying to be.
But you can find those few people, maybe just one person, who shares your vision and is ready to support the change. Let them help carry it forward.
To borrow a concept from the Technology Adoption Lifecycle, I believe organizational change often follows Rogers’ bell curve. A few people will buy in early. These are the Early Adopters. It is their job, not the Innovators’, to convince the Early Majority and the Late Majority to get on board.
We know from product marketing that if a company tries to sell a new product directly to the Late Majority, it will fail. Those people are not swayed by advertising. They are influenced by their peers. The more they see people like them using something, the more comfortable and acceptable it becomes.
In organizational change, Innovators—the people with the new ideas—often overlook the importance of cultivating Early Adopters. They try to convince everyone, burn out, and fail. But if they focus first on finding their allies, their champions, those people can serve as the bullhorn for change. That both unburdens the Innovator and speeds up adoption.
So if you are a lone Innovator at your organization, your task is to identify your Early Adopters. They can come from anywhere: board, leadership, or staff. These are the people who will be far more persuasive to their peers than you ever could be. Their influence carries weight because they share the same experiences, challenges, and perspectives as the people you’re trying to reach.
Ask yourself:
- Who is already listening to you and expressing enthusiasm about your idea?
- Who has shown a willingness to try new approaches or think differently?
- Who are the natural connectors and influencers within each group?
Once you identify these early adopters, step back and let them lead the way. Their buy-in creates a ripple effect. Focus on nurturing these early adopters and let them be the champions who influence the early and late majority. Early adopters aren’t just the first to embrace change, they’re the ones who help it spread. They:
- Model new behaviors: Showing others what change looks like in action.
- Build credibility: Their success proves the change is practical and beneficial.
- Influence others: Their enthusiasm and willingness to try new things create a ripple effect that encourages the early and late majority to follow.
By focusing your efforts on early adopters, you shift the dynamic. Instead of exhausting yourself trying to win over the most resistant voices, you build momentum with those who are ready to move forward. And as they succeed, they’ll naturally bring others along.
Change in nonprofits is never easy, but it doesn’t have to feel impossible. If you’re facing resistance, stop trying to convince everyone. Cultivate your early adopters, support them, and let their influence do the heavy lifting. Because when the right people embrace change, they open the door for everyone else to follow.
