innovation – The Rex Blog

Everyone has ideas.

And they want others to believe in them.

In fact, they’d like everyone to believe in them. Or, at least as many people as possible.

But that takes work.

And there’s a process that needs to occur before a bunch of people will believe in your idea.

It has been studied for years, and it has been scientifically mapped out. It is called the Diffusion of Innovation or Rogers Adoption Curve.

And if you want to take an idea to the masses, you have to follow the process.

You must first start with finding the innovators and early adopters. Then, only after your idea has matured enough to gain favor with the early majority, then the late majority, will you have reached most everyone.

Seth Godin explains the process very well here:

How idea adoption works–The Idea Progression | Seth’s Blog

And that was in 2015, so it’s not a new idea.

In fact, Rogers first introduced it in his book in 1962. And it has still held true today.

Hmm… maybe some things don’t change 🙂

Are you a naysayer?

Are you “one who denies, refuses, opposes, or is skeptical or cynical about something?”

I suppose there are times to be skeptical or cynical, but when someone presents an idea that they are passionate about and that they’ve put a lot of work into, does it really help to be skeptical in front of the whole group? You may want more substantiating data. You may want a more logical argument for their point. Or you may want to see proof that their concept will work. But being skeptical just means that you don’t believe it, which means that you don’t have proof to substantiate your position either.

Naysayers usually don’t have any better ideas, they just want to tear down anything new or different. They are defenders of the status quo.

So the best way to minimize the effects of the naysayers is to call them on it. Ask them why they are against progress or innovation or new ideas? No one wants to be seen as a fuddy-duddy, unimaginative or old-fashioned.

Then, if they are not key decision makers, ignore them, go around them. Make your ideas happen in spite of skeptisism.

It can be lonely out on the cutting edge, but that’s why it’s cutting, no one wants to be out there. It is difficult to break the status quo.

So don’t be a naysayer. You’re holding up progress for everyone, and reducing the number of people who might have had the next big idea, if it weren’t for you.