This weeks question comes from a coach and club owner who was looking for advice on how get their club to grow.
Before I gave advice from my perspective I wanted to reach out to other business professionals. I reached out to Stacey Hylen, A business coach from Montreal. Stacey has two daughter’s in gymnastics and has been involved in the sport as a board member.
Do you have a Question for GYM MOMENTUM? Don’t be afraid to ASK!
Whenever I travel internationally for a clinic or training camp I am frequently reminded of how similar we are. As coaches we face many of the same challenges. One of the most frustrating challenges to all coaches and gym managers is CHANGING BEHAVIOR.
Whether you want a gymnast to accomplish more in practice, or you want another coach to pitch in more when you need to clean the gym you can’t force someone to change their behavior.
You can, however, have a strong influence over another individual. But, nagging, begging, or threatening aren’t effective ways to motivate others to change.
The best way to have a positive influence on someone is by asking a question that causes another individual to examine their behavior closely.
On the plane home from Germany I read this article either on Forbes or INC magazine. Unfortunately I cannot find the original article. Just my notes. (I am certainly not smart enough to come up with these ideas).
The Question-Behavior Effect
A study, published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, found the question-behavior effect is the key to behavior change.
This psychological trick involves asking a question about the future to speed up an individual’s readiness for change.
For example, if you want a coach to be more hands on in the gym, you might be tempted to say something, “It’s important that the gymnasts understand the correct body shapes on bars a young age.” But that statement isn’t likely to evoke change.
Researchers found you’re more likely to see behavior change when you ask a question like, “Are you going to spot cast handstands in conditioning?”
Discomfort motivates people to change. And saying, “No,” would likely create some slight discomfort for a person who isn’t spotting.
The researchers involved in the study found that asking a question that reminded an individual of their poor choices was effective in motivating them to do something different.
The study concluded that questioning effectively produces consistent and significant change across a wide variety of behaviors. Direct questions influenced people to cheat less and exercise, volunteer, and recycle more.
The key is to ask a question that forces individuals to choose a definitive yes or no answer (as opposed to an open-ended question).
Researchers found the question-behavior effect was effective in person, but it was even more effective when administered via a computer or a paper-and-pencil survey. I am really NOT a fan of e-mailing staff or gymnasts with questions like this BUT I will probably give it a try.
How to Effectively Employ the Question-Behavior Effect
The question-behavior effect can be useful in a variety of circumstances. Here are a few examples:
Influence your employees. If your coaching staff have become a little too relaxed about showing up to practice or competitions at the last minute, send out an email that asks, “Are you going to show up for practice early today?”
Use it in marketing. Advertisements that ask questions like, “Will this be the year you finally sign up your children for gymnastics” can convince people to sign up their children for your gym.
The next time you’re tempted to lecture someone about what they should do differently, try asking a yes or no question instead. You might find it’s the simplest, yet most effective way to inspire long-lasting behavior change.
Yesterday I had the honor and opportunity to have breakfast with Nick Ruddock while he was in Boston for about 36 hours. He and I travel and coach in the same circles internationally but this was the FIRST TIME we have actually been in the same place!
We shared philosophy, information and stories. We will be getting together next month when we will both be in Germany. We are trying to set up time to record a podcast. STAY TUNED
Source: USA Gymnastics’ Financial Outlook Takes Big Hit After Nassar Scandal
I HAVE ADDED SOME LINKS, BOLD and HIGHLIGHTS TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE from SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY
USA Gymnastics may avoid the death penalty for Olympic sports NGBs, but its financial outlook is profoundly diminished in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. The organization had been a commercial rocket ship until now, growing its quadrennial revenue by 32% from ’09-12 to ’13-16, clearing nearly $104M in the period ending with the Rio Games as the gold medals piled up, according to published financials and tax filings. However, in the last three months, every non-endemic sponsor has left, slashing an estimated $3-5M yearly from the budget, sources said. The organization last March paid a $1M severance package to former CEO Steve Penny and also hired new CEO Kerry Perry at a yet-unknown salary. Numerous civil lawsuits are pending against the body in Georgia, California and Michigan, and it has already paid at least one substantial settlement, $1.25M to Gold Medal-winner McKayla Maroney. Most of this happened during the post-Olympics year of ’17, when revenue typically falls off even without the abrupt loss of nearly the entire sponsorship portfolio. That year’s tax returns and audited financials have not yet been made public. Taking into account USA Gymnastics’ wholly owned foundation, the organization had $15.8M in net assets at the conclusion of ’15, so bankruptcy is not an imminent possibility. However, the NGB has never run on large margins despite the revenue growth, and it appears probable that it will have to either make deep cuts or eat into its reserves while it rebuilds its BOD and pays major legal bills. USAG did not respond to request for comment.
DEPENDENT ON MEMBERSHIP:
Despite high-profile sponsorships from the likes of Kellogg’s and P&G, USAG’s biggest financial asset is its membership, which stands at 174,000 nationally, according to its website. Those individual and corporate members all pay annual dues ranging from $15-450 per year, and they make up the core ticket-buying audience to USAG’s popular events series as well. As the women’s team succeeded in the ’12 London and ’16 Rio Games, membership has grown more than 50% since ’11. Membership revenue increased from $8.4M in ’11 to more than $13M in ‘16, according to IRS forms. Unless a material number of those members take the same path sponsors did and abandon USAG, the organization will survive, said Tom Shepard, a partner at 21 Marketing and Chair of USA Pentathlon. “When you have big numbers as an NGB, it’s not that difficult to generate income,” Shepard said. Additionally, USAG’s dominant role in organizing competitions, along with training coaches and judges, makes it difficult for athletes intent on developing their career to avoid becoming members. Only decertification — which the USOC has threatened, but says it wants to avoid — would change that. There are other nonprofits that organize gymnastics and could be an alternative if members leave USAG, and some club owners are worried about the impact of the USAG scandal on their own business. USAG membership terms run on an August-to-July year, so any change in membership won’t be evident until then.
FIRST TESTS COME IN MARCH: The American Cup and Nastia Liukin Cup, twin gymnastics meets scheduled for the first weekend of March, could provide the first firm window into USAG’s resilience — or lack thereof — with the grassroots. Tickets to the event, at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Il., are now on sale. NBC plans a two-hour live network broadcast on March 3.
LOCAL ISSUES COMING? Blain Fowler, the owner of Panhandle Perfection Gymnastics in Gulf Breeze, Fla., said he believes his club’s association with USAG will be a problem this spring and summer in enrollment season — whether or not the perception is fair. “The hard-working person who wants the best for their kids and treats their kids well, they’re going to see what happened at USA Gymnastics,” Fowler said. “And that’s where it’s going to hurt us as a sport, hurt us as a business. And I don’t know how to respond and recover from that.” Fowler said he will probably keep his membership in USAG, but not promote it, and they “might dip our toes into the other governing bodies as well,” such as AAU or the U.S. Association of Independent Gymnastics Clubs.
Source: USA Gymnastics’ Financial Outlook Takes Big Hit After Nassar Scandal
Today, for the first day in over a week, I was able to run on the treadmill at my local Planet Fitness and not see Larry Nassar’s face on any of the 16 TV’s. I am hoping that after his sentencing last week the media will be able to move on from this tragedy. What he did was terrible. The question many of us in the gymnastics industry ask is- WILL USA GYMNASTICS be able to recover? If they cannot or if as a club you decide to end your affiliation with USAG, WHAT DO YOU DO?
On social media there have been many people and groups calling for the decertification by the USOC of USA Gymnastics. If The USOC decides to decertify USAG all that means is that USAG will NOT be determining the Olympic Team. USAG can still run the JO and Excel Program. They can still run educational workshops, congresses and conferences. BUT- if USAG does get decertified by the USOC, they may have lost the confidence of the American public and they will probably cease to exist.
What would our gyms do then? We would continue doing what we do. Teaching gymnastics. We would associate ourselves with a different association. I met this with with the President of the USAIGC to learn about their program and for my gym The USAIGC seems to be our best alternative.
Day to Day in our gyms- nothing changes. For our teams- they will continue to go to competitions and continue to be AMAZING. Instead of being the USAG State, Regional or National Champion- they may be going to USAIGC or AAU or some other leagues State, Regional or National Champion. (BTW- USAIGC Also has an International division!).
There have been other groups and individuals which have been exploring the possibilities of starting a new organization. I sure have had some interesting phone calls and e-mails! I certainly would like to find out more about these. Competition is a good thing. Viable alternatives will force each organization to try to be better than the next. To let coaches and club owners feel a part of something great. To be a transparent organization that encourages participation and makes athlete safety a priority.
USA Gymnastics is facing some difficult times ahead. The reality is that they may not survive in their current form. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE GOING ANYWHERE. There will just be some major changes. I believe that USA Gymnastics had a strong foundation but grew too quickly and did not adapt to the times and was not able to implement the necessary changes and protections.
They are working hard at fixing this. They have hired a new president and will be replacing most if not all of the Board of Directors.
The National Team Training Center at The Ranch has been closed. Now, one Central Florida neighborhood is looking to be USA Gymnastics’ new home. Lake Nona is already home to several sports-centric complexes, including the United States Tennis Association. Tavistock Development Corp. wants USA Gymnastics to consider its sports and performance district as a place to get a fresh start.
There have been offers by private clubs to host the National Team in the interim until a permanent facility is built (WOGA in Texas and Aerial Gymnastics Club in Illinois). I have even heard a rumor about a private group of investors looking to build a training center and NOT associate it immediately with USAG until they see where things are headed. Possibly associating itself with a coaches group who would act as landlords leasing the facility to USAG or whatever organization comes next.
Some horrible individuals caused such pain in our sport – that should never be forgiven or forgotten. Lets not forget that there are so many wonderful coaches out there. Coaches who are role models, mentors and teach WAY MORE than just gymnastics.
I know some great gymnastics coaches who are terrified of marketing and sales. I am here to tell you that teaching gymnastics and marketing have a lot in common. Think of the things that go into being a great coach/ teacher.
Wouldn’t that be the same traits you would want in marketing?
Stepping away from the gym- Lets think about buying a new car.
You go to the lot. The first person is pushing you hard to take a test drive. They use the phrase, “What can I do to get you in this car”
The second person tells you about the car. It’s safety features, resale value, expected lifespan.
Which person are you probably going to spend your money with? The person who was trying to sell you the car or the person who was educating you about the car?
You need to approach your marketing plan for your gym the someway you approach teaching a skill to a gymnast.
You need to believe in your plan and commit to it. You need to believe in your product- YOUR GYM. Do not try to sell them your gym, Teach them about why every child should do gymnastics. They will hear your passion about your program.
The point is, no matter what it is that customers pay you for—whether it’s your team program, rec or preschool, or anything in between—your job is to teach. Teaching is marketing.
By teaching, you’re able to make connections that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. People search for answers to a topic. You put yourself, your experience, and your lessons “out there” for those people to find.
Many of us fear the words “marketing” and “selling”. We are afraid of coming across too “salesy”. Forcing our programs at unsuspecting people. The infomercials , TV commercials, and internet spam condition us to find any marketing vile and to not trust anything anyone is trying to sell.
Stop trying to sell and start teaching. Teach people why EVERY SINGLE KID should be doing gymnastics. Teach them how many great things their child is going to learn. Teach them that no matter WHAT sports their child does in later life they will get the base in gymnastics. Teach them that gymnastics coaches know that kids are going to fall out of the gym. We will teach them how to fall safely!
Start your own blog. Focus on the questions your customers are asking. Take the opportunity to teach.
This morning I was trying to find some yummy drink recipes for a party I am having. Not sure what this says about my Google search history but one of the first things that came up was “The Perfect Mix: Everything I know About Leadership I Learned as a Bartender” by Helen Rothberg.
I read an exert from it and then promptly searched for her name to hopefully find an article or 2 by her before I buy the book. I came across this in Business Insider. My notes are in italics
Enjoy.
Source: The best leaders have these 6 habits – Business Insider
Over the past 25 years, I’ve coached a mix of executives in for profit and not-for-profit companies like Kellogg’s, Monsanto, SoCalGas, Newark City Government, The United Way, IBM, and AT&T. I’ve been in board rooms with people fretting about decreases in market share, swirling about regulatory agencies, and agonizing about visions for a tomorrow they don’t quite understand. Along with getting paid to calm their nerves, there are a few common themes I’ve noticed that keep popping up that are helpful for everyone, from the C-Suite to the junior staffers.
When I share my notion about root problems with the CEO and executive team they usually say that I am really sharp. I correct them. My discovery comes from talking to the people who work there, asking questions beyond defined job roles. The first five people lead me to others who lead me to others that lead to the weaving of the real story.
Share what you know. People believe that knowledge is power so they tend to hold it close. If the people I speak to would have shared what they knew with each other, they could have come up with a similar conclusion.
When I was a very rookie coach the head coach would always share things he learned at a conference or things someone had taught him. I remember onetime struggling with a skill with an athlete. He was not on an event at the time and he came over, helped me with the athlete then showed me a better way to teach it. All too often coaches are afraid to show that they do not “know it all”. Drop the ego- if someone is willing to share, you must be willing to listen and learn.
With that in mind, sometimes the executive team is surprised by some of the people I speak with, unaware that insight and understanding reside with people in roles they would not have considered. People in finance, product development and legal affairs have a different understanding about the market than marketing people do.
Therefore, keeping in your insulated worlds can limit you at the workplace; find opportunities in other departments to use the breadth of what you can do.
At a recent staff meeting we were trying to figure out some issues with space on the floor. We have only one floor and this is always an issue. A part-time preschool teacher timidly made a suggestion on how the team group could better use the space. WOW- IT WORKED!
As a leader in your gym you need to make sure you listen and learn as well.
Companies that are market leaders tend to be attached to what brought them to that space, believing that what they had always done would keep them successful and the rules wouldn’t change that much. They get stuck. They don’t know how to look outside of their habits to discover what will make them successful in the future.
Everyone at work should keep in mind that the skills, knowledge and talent that got you to where you are won’t necessarily keep you there. Continue to learn and innovate products, services and self.
Read- FOLDING TOWELS.
I once witnessed a CEO and his staff make the decision to outsource equipment fabrication, believing that their success rested on marketing and this action would increase profits. When some core design capabilities became industry standards within a few years, the CEO recognized the mistake and took action, without finger pointing.
Getting it wrong is your greatest opportunity to getting it right the next time. Don’t let conformity keep you from taking risks or judiciously speaking your mind. And, if you are wrong, learn from it and move on quickly.
We are always going to make mistakes. I think it was someone at NASA that said- fail fast and move on. Failure is always going to be a prerequisite to success. Don’t let it frighten you.
In another company, employees were concerned about changes in regulation and how the company was responding to up and coming competitors’ low cost approach to market. The C-suite believed that brand and legacy would carry them. Over time, price emerged as a more important driver. Senior management could have learned a lot by listening to informal conversation among employees in a relaxed setting.
Engage in more at your company than just your office. Join task forces, volunteer at organizations the company supports, do something as simple as go to lunch with a coworker or boss. You never know where concerns and good ideas can be heard and travel upward.
If you normally coach team- take a pre-school or rec class. If you normally are in the office- go out in the gym. See what is working and what is not working. REMEMBER your gym is going to be a microcosm of your community. Get out there and listen. Read your local paper – see wha events are going on.
The root of a problem is not always obvious. Even if there’s agreement in the boardroom, such cohesion can lead to interfering with something that might not be broken while what is broken gains steam. For example, decreases in market share are not always a marketing problem; sometimes it’s an engineering or fulfillment problem.
Look deeper into a problem by talking with your peers across the organization. The extra effort can yield important findings impactful to your organization and you.
Helen Rothberg is a professor in the school of management at Marist College. Her book “The Perfect Mix: Everything I Know About Leadership I Learned as a Bartender” is out now.
USA Gymnastics in a year into the Larry Nassar Crisis. I have heard a lot of complaints (again) recently in their ability to fill the position of CEO/President and move on from this crisis. I am NOT a USAG defender. I have called them out when they have not met my expectations. I do believe that we are in good hands. The people that are currently in charge are doing a good job keeping things moving in the right direction. I do NOT want the organization to rush into a decision to fill the position. A crucial member of the search committee was busy training her athlete for P & G Championships and the World Championships. Her focus in where it needed to be.
I am becoming impatient with the slowness of filling this position but I understand why. Hopefully the position will be filled soon. The next CEO certainly will have their hands full. The recent allegations by McKayla Maroney and the revelation by Tatyana Gutsu have opened up wounds that may have just started to heal.
Leading an organization can sometimes feel like navigating a ship through mine-infested waters. Disaster is likely to strike at some point, no matter how sure the hand at the helm. Data breaches, customer service debacles, recall fiascos — crises are everywhere, and countless institutions have been sunk by an unseen bombshell. But in many cases, it isn’t the crisis itself that causes an organization to flounder; too often it’s a leader’s response to the crisis that causes the greatest damage.
A disaster is a moment of truth for an organization. It’s a time when competent leaders prove their mettle and when pretenders reveal their impotence. A crisis is almost always an indication that something needs to change within an organization. Sometimes that change is structural. Policies might have to be revised, or mission statements might need to be tweaked. Other times that change comes in the form of new leadership. If the person at the helm is unable to make good decisions during turbulent times, the organization might have to look elsewhere for needed direction. Replacing an ineffective leader is a common — though not always ideal — response to things going awry.
It’s better for leaders to be proactive and take the necessary steps to navigate crises and make solid decisions that will help move their organizations in a new direction. Consider taking the following steps when you face turbulent times:
In order to right the ship, an effective leader must start by confronting hard truths. A leader can’t justifiably be blamed for a force majeure or for some other unforeseeable, unavoidable stroke of bad luck, but oftentimes crises are caused from within and aggravated by the organization itself. Faulty security procedures might be to blame. Poorly trained personnel or an internal conspiracy could be the culprit.
If a crisis is triggered by a structural failure, a good leader will analyze the flaw to determine how it contributed to the crisis. If an airplane crashes because of the captain’s miscalculation, an honest leader would self-evaluate and own the mistake. To err is human; to take responsibility is divine. Being honest helps leaders get the root of problems and capably address them.
In diagnosing the problem, a capable leader must work with a dedicated team to craft a strategic plan. All options must be brought to the table and weighed, no matter how difficult or undesirable they might seem. Once a decision has been made and a plan has been developed and vetted, it must be put it into action as quickly as possible. Time is usually of the essence in such scenarios, so there can be no dillydallying or feet dragging. When crises demand same-day responses, delays can be perceived as incompetence or even indifference, both of which can exacerbate a crisis. When more time is available to consider possible solutions, take it. However, remember that careful and quick must go hand-in-hand at this juncture.
Be aware that once the action plan is set into motion, there will likely be further challenges and setbacks that surface. Even if a leader’s response to a crisis is otherwise impeccable, some critics and competitors might take this opportunity to kick the organization while it’s down. Previous mistakes might be brought to the forefront, and old controversies might have to be re-litigated. It’s natural for a leader to feel doubt and fear as the problems pile up.
If you start to lose focus on the big picture, it might be necessary to take step back from the situation and reassess it, or even seek outside advice. But it’s important not to despair. If your plan is sound and the organization’s intentions are good, then push through the discomfort and uncertainty. And, above all, remind yourself that smooth seas don’t make good sailors.
While it’s not always possible for an organization to completely recover from a crisis, or emerge wholly unscathed, even when headed by a brilliant leader, it is possible to take lessons from every disaster. Failure today could mean success tomorrow. Hold on to that truth to find peace of mind when the storm is raging.
For me there is no better job in life than Coaching Gymnastics. It’s fun, fast paced and always changing. Excelling at a fast-paced job can be challenging — especially when you feel like you’re not being respected enough by the gymnasts and your coworkers.
But how do you earn the respect of those you work with? And how do you deal with public displays of disrespect?
Remember that respect is a two-way street
If you want to know why you might not be getting the respect you want, stop and think: are you doing anything to disrespect others?
Some of the top offenders include interrupting others while they’re speaking, refusing to admit your mistakes and criticizing others publicly.
“Interrupting others while they’re speaking … is the ultimate sign of disrespect. So stop doing it. Immediately. Bite your tongue and spend your time listening to understand, not to reply,” business consultant Lisa Quast writes in Forbes, “While you can add your two cents after hearing the other person out, it’s better to give them the floor and actively try to understand their perspective instead of talking over them.” Gymnasts need to have input as well. Yes- they can run on and on with stories. Give them a time to speak. If it is not relevant (or you feel it is a 20 minute story!) let them know that they can talk to you and the group about it later.
Another red flag? Refusing to admit your mistakes — or worse, blaming them on others — is a surefire way to make people lose respect for you. I was doing a clinic at a gym and individually each coach spoke to me about the short comings from the previous season and each coach blamed it on the other. “We would have done better at States if it wasn’t for Beam…” If you pretend that you’ve never done anything wrong and then find ways to excuse your failures or blame them on others, you’ll lose the respect of everyone. Failure is only failure when you don’t learn anything from it, and you can’t learn anything when you pretend that you never actually failed.
Other big offenders:
In Dale Carnegie’s seminal book, “How to Make Friends and Influence People,” he writes of a tyrant boss who eventually became willing to learn how to change his ways.
“For years he had driven and criticized and condemned his employees without stint or discretion. Kindness, words of appreciation and encouragement were alien to his lips,” Carnegie explains in the book, “After studying the principles discussed in this book, this employer sharply altered his philosophy of life. His organization is now inspired by a new loyalty, a new enthusiasm, a new spirit of teamwork.”
After all, no one wants to deal with a bully at work.
Be humble, but not insecure
There’s a difference between being grounded and groveling.
If you are constantly putting yourself down in an effort to appear humble, you might run the risk of losing the respect of others, who could mistake your self-effacement for insecurity. Be willing to admit your flaws, but do not focus on them. You should have some self-depreciation, but it should be paired with self-confidence. People generally will not respect another coach who appears insecure and continuously mentions their shortcomings. Show your human side but maintain a sense of bravado and self-assurance. If you’re constantly talking about what you don’t understand or what you’re not good at, people might start to believe you.
Displaying confidence can go a long way.
Let your work speak for itself, and take pride in your accomplishments. Others will see your enthusiasm and respond positively.
Avoid sending mixed messages
Empty promises are a respect-killer in the workplace. If your coworkers can’t count on you to follow through, they’re going to eventually stop listening. “What you actually do matters much more than what you say you’re going to do. Anyone can talk a big game or over-promise, but the actual follow-through is what creates lasting success,” writes web designer and bestselling author Paul Jarvis.
Don’t micromanage
Hovering — literally or metaphorically— is not effective.
Effective delegation is an important part of becoming a good leader. You must understand that your co-coaches are looking to develop their skills, so when you delegate, give them an important task to accomplish. Then stand back and let them figure out how to do it. When you tell them how to do the task, they feel mistrusted and perhaps worthless. It is difficult to trust a leader who can’t let go. That does not mean that you do not offer guidance (and they must take your input). You are in charge because you’ve been down this road before. You know where the potholes are BUT they may teach you a better way.
What determines whether a social movement will be a flash in the pan or a real catalyst for longterm change? Why did Occupy Wall Street subside in a matter of months, for instance, while the American Civil Rights Movement thrived, resulting in the passage of multiple laws?
Many people have called for REAL and SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE at USA GYMNASTICS. If we view the change necessary as a social movement we can identify common themes among social movements that don’t merely broadcast the need for a social change, but actually create long-term impact.
At this writing USA Gymnastics has yet to name a CEO/President. The new CEO/President will need a team behind them. People interested in making real change.
Every successful social movement features three distinct leadership roles:
the agitator,
the innovator,
the orchestrator.
Any successful pathway to real change in USAG will require all three.
Julie Battilana, a long-time scholar of institutional change explains, “If you look at the history of any successful social change movement, you’ll see there were moments of really effective agitation, innovation, and orchestration that led to the adoption of the change,” says Battilana, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and Professor of Social Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School, “Although history remembers some individual actors as highly influential, single leaders rarely change the course of society on their own.”
The Agitator stirs the pot by articulating and publicizing societal grievances, rallying an otherwise diverse group of people around a mutual desire for change.
“Effective agitators are able to draw attention to a problem and convince others that it requires both some corrective action and collective work to bring it about. To demonstrate that the status quo is not acceptable and to mobilize others, agitators thus need to communicate in a manner that ensures grievances are shared and collective and not seen as irrelevant.”
Take, for example, marine biologist Rachel Carson, who alerted the public to the dangers of pesticides in the 1950s; Donald Trump, who, throughout 2016, rallied citizens around the slogan “Make America Great Again;” or Teresa Snook, who launched the Women’s March on Washington after Trump’s presidential victory.
The Innovator develops a solution to address the grievances. That means anticipating roadblocks and coming up with alternative paths, as well as justifying those alternatives in appealing ways to engage individuals, groups, and organizations to support them.
“An innovator is likely someone who has studied, lived, or experienced something beyond the norms in a given environment and thus is able to create a vision of a different future that nonetheless makes sense to, and captivates, those living within the existing practices and conditions,”
Without leaders who can lay out a persuasive path of innovation, a movement will never make it past the agitation stage.
“If you do not innovate and have a solution to the problem you’ve identified, the movement will die,” she says. “I think that’s what happened with the Occupy Wall Street movement. There was an effective agitation; the movement came at the right time—a time when the world was screaming that we needed a different financial system. But there was a lack of innovation. And we ended up coming back to a system that is quite a bit like what we had before.”
The Orchestrator spreads the solution created by the innovator, continually strategizing how best to reach and work with people both within and outside the movement, as the movement for change grows in size and complexity.
“Orchestrators often need to tailor their message to the interests of the various constituencies they are trying to persuade to embrace the change,” Battilana writes. “However, in doing so, they need to strike a fine balance, as they also need to ensure that the overall message around change adoption remains coherent.”
Agitation without innovation means complaints without alternatives;
Innovation without orchestration means ideas without impact;
For USA Gymnastics each role requires a combination of communicating, organizing, and evaluating.
Agitators need to communicate the necessity of the change; innovators need to communicate the validity of their proposed solution; and orchestrators must be able to tailor information to different types of constituents—coaches, parents, gymnasts and the general audience- while still maintaining a cohesive message.
The next CEO must be able to leverage these various sources of power as they push for change. Effecting change does not guarantee glory. Behind any successful movement lies a great deal of thankless determination and sweat.
Change takes time, it takes a lot of work, and most of the time you’re not going to get a lot of recognition. Most movements are full of hidden heroes. No one may ever know about them. Some of them will have worked their entire career and not see the change. But lets make sure we do not ignore that they played key roles in agitation, orchestration, or innovation.
