Use the System to Educate

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Hitting a wall?  Sometimes pushing an idea from the inside-out, doesn't work.  Sometimes you need an outside-in approach.  One of my mentors has a simple way to phrase this -- "Use the system to educate."

Examples

  • Use customers to educate your product teams (argue the customer data).
  • Use your manager's peers to educate your manager.
  • Use surrounding teams to educate your team.
  • Use other companies to educate your company.
  • Use a consultant to change your group's perspective.
  • Use analysts to educate your domain.

It's along the lines of "you can't be a prophet in your hometown" ... sometimes the change agent needs to be external.