Habits of Diplomatic Rebels
Our top 5 habits is our way of answering the tough question of what it takes to be a diplomatic rebel. The result is five habits, which are all in different ways hard to embody. Some will find it extremely hard recognizing the resistance they meet, while others will find it tough to not just distance themselves from all the ones not understanding the great value they deliver for the company.
We belive you need to be able to build all five different habits in your intrapreneurial practice to be a diplomatic rebel. You do not need to master them all. Some will be a more intuitive match to your personality than others and it is abolutely fine to have a favourite or one that you have a hard time seeing the value in.
As long as go in with a humble and curious approach, not expecting to learn it all in five minutes, we belive you are the right place.
1 - People will hate your project. Accept it.
Many people in your core business will hate your project (and possibly you too). From senior managers to the shop floor, you're asking people to change. Most people don't like change. Especially when you're a company that is making mountains of cash doing something well. Why change?
2 - Only break the rules you understand.
Through the late 90s and early 2000s LEGO was breaking all the rules, but in a bad way. They were getting into action figures, theme parks and a whole bunch of other things. And it nearly cost them the company. Under CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, LEGO got back to its core, the brick. They took time to understand who they were and what made them great. Only then did they start building from that stable base.
3- Build a tribe.
An innovation unit is relatively small and has limited resources. To test new ideas and implement pilot projects they often need help from outside their group. Part of that help comes from a network of individuals within the core business.
Because of this tribe building, the innovation unit gets access to resources and talent they normally wouldn't have access to. And they have vocal supporters spread throughout the business, ready to champion their ideas.
4 - Write love letters.
Think about when someone writes a love letter. They are expressing feelings and emotions they have and highlighting the qualities they love in the other person.
Translated to a business context, you express respect and admiration for that person and highlight what you like about them, their group/team and how they work. Find those good qualities and tell them about it. With no expectations of anything in return.
5 - Make people shine.
Take the role of the facilitators sparking, changing, influencing, helping and supporting.
The real heroes are the champions working extra hours on the project. And the core part of the business that eventually take the pilot project and implement it and scale it. Make those people the heroes, make them shine.
The goodwill that creates for future relationships and projects is huge. You then start to get that virtuous circle / snowballing effect. The tribe gets stronger, bigger and the next idea and pilot project is easier to implement.