Recruit 3.5% of the crowd to make change happen

Daniele Catalanotto
Apr 2, 2022
A Service Design Principle for better change management

Creating change in organizations can feel overwhelming, challenging and sometimes even impossible!

In the book The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac present a piece of research that can give us hope.

It seems that when about 3.5% of the population protests in a non-violent way, change happens!

So, for example, in a big organization with thousand people, you “just” have to convince about 35 people to push the change!

Having such a number as a goal is a reassuring element. When motivation is low because you don’t see change happen yet, you can tell yourself:

“I haven’t convinced yet 3.5% of the organization, so it’s perfectly normal that the change doesn’t happen yet! I have to continue to recruit people for this cause”.

Alternative titles

Here a few ideas of alternative titles for this principle:
  1. Get 3.5% to protest to change this
  2. A few loud protesters make change happen
  3. Get a few to protest out loud to make change happen
  4. Convince a few to protest loudly to make change happen

Little side notes

  • This is the second draft of this Service Design Principle.
  • I was able to reduce the lengths by 24.85% compared to the first version.
  • Once adapted, even more, this principle will be part of the book "Service Design Principles 201-300"
  • As always feel free to share comments, feedback or personal stories to improve this principle.


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Patrick Marcelissen
May 4, 2022
For me this one isn’t quite clear the especially the statement “It seems that when about 3.5% of the population protests in a non-violent way, change happens!”

I read it as this 3,5% population do protest  to change in a non violent way. So 96,5 % is for change so, what’s the the problem here? But i assume you mean protest against the current system or situation.
Daniele Catalanotto
Jun 4, 2022
Thanks Patrick ;) Will try to clarify that part. I'm thinking about something along these lines: 


The research seems to show that when about 3.5% of the population protests against the current situation in a non-violent way, change happens!

Will try to implement this in the next iteration :) 
Deleted
Oct 29, 2022
I’m skeptical of any specific numbers cited in books and articles and Ted talks b/c often they’re bogus.

I stumbled on this principle, which so hinges on that number. And does not explain how that %, even if true in terms of global climate advocacy, applies to corporate change.

Do you have organizational change examples? 
Show 1 more...
Deleted
Oct 29, 2022
Maybe I clicked on the wrong link — it only went to the publishers page for the book. 
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 29, 2022

The third draft of this Service Design Principle

Change in organisations can feel overwhelming, challenging and even impossible!

The book The Future We Choose (1) presents research that gives hope (2). The research seems to show that when about 3.5% of the population protests against the current situation in a non-violent way, change happens!

So, for example, in a big organisation with thousand people, convincing 35 people is enough!

When you feel change won't happen, and your motivation is low, you can tell yourself:

"I haven't convinced yet 3.5% of the organisation. So it's normal the change doesn't happen yet! I have to continue to recruit people".

This numbered goal is reassuring.

So let me ask you:

Who are the 3.5% of people you could recruit? What would a non-violent protest look like in your organisation?

Footnotes

(1) Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac (2021). The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist's Guide To The Climate Crisis. Knopf. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/2ixm accessed 19 October 2022.

(2) Erica Chenoweth (2013). The success of nonviolent civil resistance. TEDxBoulder. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/Tc3O accessed 19 October 2022.

(3) If you like these kinds of numbers I recommend you check out the “Principle 028: Don’t Create Groups of More Than 150 People” — Daniele Catalanotto (2018). Service Design Principles 1-100. Swiss Innovation Academy. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/efNj accessed 29 October 2022.

Daniele’s notes

  • This is the third draft of this principle.
  • I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 1% compared to its previous draft.
  • I’ve added a conclusion question to help people turn this principle into practice.
  • I’ve added a reference to another principle who is also about such a number and human groups.
  • Improved one sentence with a suggestion from Patrick Marcelissen