If you were a change leader, what Image of Change approach would you use to help a laggard (described in Table 5.1) overcome resistance to a necessary organizational innovation?

Challenges for the Change Manager-Operational Innovations Page 150 Operational innovations can be more difficult to implement than product innovations. Potential users can see and touch a new product-a smartphone, for example-and they can try it out for themselves. An operational innovation, however, has to be implemented before anyone can really see how it is going to work-a streamlined process that will reduce time to market. This means that the benefits can take time to appear, particularly when the initial specification has to be adjusted with experience. Convincing others of the value of an operational innovation, therefore, is not always straightforward. Hammer (2004) argues that business culture undervalues operations, which are seen as boring and low status. Operations are not as glamorous, or as easily understood, as deal-making or new technology and are therefore not regarded as a source of competitive advantage. A further problem is that the "ownership" of an operational innovation may be vague, because it crosses functional boundaries. Everett Rogers (2003) famously noted that adoption of innovations follows a pattern. First, small numbers adopt, followed by "takeoff," achieving a critical mass of adopters. Finally, the pace slackens as saturation is reached, typically short of 100 percent (you never convince everyone). Rogers argues that the five groups in Table 5.1 influence this pattern. Innovators Usually the first in their social grouping to adopt new approaches and behaviors; a small category of individuals who enjoy the excitement and risks of experimentation Early adopters Opinion leaders who evaluate ideas carefully, are more skeptical, and take more convincing, but also take risks, help to adapt new ideas to local settings, and have effective networking skills Early majority Those who take longer to reach a decision to change but are still ahead of the average Late majority Even more skeptical and risk averse; wait for most of their colleagues to adopt new ideas first Laggards Viewed negatively by others; the last to adopt new ideas, even for reasons they believe to be rational TABLE 5.1 From Innovators to Laggards Change is thus often dependent on innovators and early adopters in particular. Hammer (2004) offers four suggestions for accelerating the incidence of operational innovation. First, look for role models in other sectors. Second, challenge constraining assumptions ("This will never work because . . ."). Third, turn the "special case" into the norm. And finally, fourth, rethink the core dimensions of the work-who does it, where, when, how thoroughly, with what results; how can these dimensions be redesigned to make the process more effective