Enlist Executive Allies
Some people have more influence than others
This is important, but not the most important, or the first thing to do in starting a movement within a corporation.
My other previous posts talk about what you do first.
But once you have some momentum and something to show for it, then you can notify a friendly executive and see if they will just advocate for you.
Don’t ask for sponsorship or funding right away. That’s what everyone else does. Or that’s what they think they need first.
But you can meet with people, plan some things, and publish prolifically about your idea before you get executives involved. They are more likely to support you if you can show them some evidence.
Executives listen to other executives.
So, if you can get one to talk about you and your idea with the others then you’ve got something. It’s a small validation. A testimonial from someone who has influence.
That’s how you pick up some momentum.
But it’s not the be-all end-all answer. It’s just a step in your journey of starting a movement within your corporation.
Continue the journey.
When that initial interest is sparked, ask this question. “Who do you know that you think needs to hear about this, and will you introduce me?”
This simple approach of “networking through introductions” does two things.
It does not mean he or she is becoming an advocate for your idea. They are simply helping you move your idea along through their network of relationships. Later, someone else who is an advocate for your idea may come to this person to persuade to join.
We are acknowledging that credibility is something personal and is exchanged between people who trust one another. This means that quite possibly we are becoming a node in a network of extensive relationships.
You’ll know this when people are being introduced to you.
For this reason it is worth mapping out the network that you are establishing.