Best practices are difficult to implement from outside an organization. It is better to have groups discover solutions internally through collaboration and facilitating their own learning process. When groups take ownership of problem identification and solutions, they become invested in change and can circumvent resistance to outside ideas. Leadership should tap into the hidden wisdom within a community to guide change from the bottom-up rather than imposing solutions from the top-down.

1. Best Practices are Hard to Copy “Why aren’t you as good as the other guys?”

3. Richard Pascale and Jerry Sternin, “Your Company’s Secret Change Agents,” Harvard Business Review , May 2005 When identification of a superior method is imposed, not self-discovered, cries of “It just won’t work here” predictably limit acceptance. By contrast, a design that allows a community to learn from its own hidden wisdom is . . . respectful. Innovator and adopter share the same DNA. Community members invest sweat equity . . . and, in the process, they become partners to change.”

5. Create New Awareness Unexamined habits and practices are a major culprit in resource waste within organizations. A simple shift in mindset allows group members to discover how wasteful their personal and professional behavior can be. This new awareness is a powerful incentive to consider new ways of using resources.

6. Make it Safe to Learn There's a reason why people cling to the status quo: It's known. Even if they don't like it, there's a certain security in the known. So, go back to step one. The group as guru. Everyone gets to be stupid to the same degree. Everyone's in this together. We teach and learn from each other.

7. Leverage Personal and Organizational Experience Examples of sustainability's quantifiable benefits are increasing. But the best social proof comes from within, rather than outside, the organization. Internally developed -- or at least adapted -- solutions circumvent the response syndrome of "we're not them," "that won't work here." Tap the secret or hidden wisdom of the group. Help them become the evangelists of their own conversion experience.

8. Top Down vs. Bottoms Up Latent wisdom is tapped within a community to circumvent the social system’s reaction. Resistance arises from ideas imported or imposed by outsiders. Participants act into a new way of thinking Participants think into a new way of acting. Inside out- -community taps existing ideas and solutions and amplifies them. Outside In- -Experts identify and disseminate best practices. Leader facilitates search; community takes ownership of the quest for change Primary ownership and momentum for change come from above. Collaborative Approach Traditional Approach

10. Rich Carlson (312) 899-0614 [email_address]