Getting started at last

Last week, I had the breakthrough I was waiting for since I started using the techniques of the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, by Chip and Dan Heath.  A few weeks ago, I described this books model for change in an organization.  Picture everyone in the organization as a person riding an elephant.  The "rider" is the logical mind.  The "elephant" is that person's emotions.  Change involves appealing to the rider, motivating the elephant, and clearing the path.  Here are key points from the book in each area and some of the ways this applied to my recent project:

1. Direct the rider.  The book suggest that you "follow the bright spots".  Focus on reapplying what is working well.  I was able to do this on my project because one factory had the best results.  I kept investigating and found that there were some things they did uniquely well and that these things could be reapplied.  The book also suggest you "script the critical moves", that you clarify specific behaviors and explain the destination.  I was able to focus on a simple theme of better communication from the factories to the central organization and how this would help the central group reduce overtime and would help the factories ensure they got their needs met.
2. Motivate the elephant.  The book suggests you "find the feeling".  Appeal to emotions strategically.  I was able to appeal to the desire of the plants to get what they want the first time from the central group.  I got the central group excited about the idea of clearer communication from the plants leading to fewer complaints and less frustrating rework.  The book also suggest "shrinking the change".  Get started small to create momentum.  For this, I focused more on those sites that wanted to test the new ideas and less on trying to persuade everybody at once to come on board.
3. Clear the path.  The book suggests "tweaking the environment" to make the change easier.  To do this, I helped clarify and document those ideas that we hope will spread from the most successful factory to the other plant sites.  Finally, the book suggests "rallying the herd", getting some sites to take the lead and inspire others to join.  Here, the focus on those sites who were most eager to learn has helped others decide to join in.

At this point, we have a project.  We have momentum and I expect big changes despite my lack of authority over anybody involved.  I feel I owe a lot of what has happened to Chip and Dan Heath's terrific book.