Holy Shift! Why is cultivating innovation so hard?
As the late and still beloved Herb Kelleher, former CEO of Southwest Airlines said: “The business of business is people—yesterday, today, and forever”.
Nov 5
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Data Prep U (Bill Rosario)
Cultivating Innovation with Data Prep U: A Proven Model for Driving Change and Building a Data-Driven Culture
Every day, we talk to professionals at every level across organizations, big and small, about building a data analytics culture. It’s by far our favorite part of the job. Watching faces light up on video calls as people envision the digital possibilities ahead is deeply rewarding. Yet, that initial enthusiasm often fades as the reality sets in that a goal without a plan is just a wish.
Why, then, is cultivating innovation so challenging? Shouldn’t the promise of reclaiming that elusive work-life balance make people eager to embrace new technology? And why do some companies succeed more than others in driving meaningful change?
Part of the answer lies in knowledge gaps. There’s what we know, what we know we don’t know, and then the elusive “unknown unknowns.” It’s difficult to act on what we don’t even realize we’re missing.
As Aristotle famously said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” This principle underpins our work at Data Prep U, where we aim to make data-driven excellence a core habit within organizations.
Enter Simon Sinek, the unshakable author, inspirational speaker, and eternal optimist. In his now-famous TED Talk, “Start with Why”, Sinek highlights the Diffusion of Innovation theory, first introduced by E.M. Rogers in 1962. This theory explains that people within a social system adopt new ideas or innovations when they perceive them as truly “new or innovative.” Adoption doesn’t happen all at once; instead, it progresses in phases, with some people naturally inclined to embrace innovation sooner than others.
This framework identifies key groups with unique characteristics that impact their likelihood of adopting innovation:
The Diffusion of Innovation theory emphasizes that to see real adoption, it’s essential to connect with the top 15%-18% of Innovators and Early Adopters in your audience.
Data Prep U’s Accelerated Upskilling Model doesn’t just identify and engage these early adopters; it aims to drive change by understanding the principles and nuances of this theory. Our model is designed to cultivate a sustainable culture of innovation, guiding companies to introduce new ideas in a way that’s structured, authentic, and aligned with their values. It’s about more than getting people on board—it’s about empowering teams to embrace transformation from the ground up.
Tom Hanks’ character in A League of Their Own famously said, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it,” while inspiring the first women’s league in America’s favorite pastime. The same could be said about cultivating innovation.
Fortunately, Data Prep U’s proprietary Accelerated Upskilling Model is grounded in the Diffusion of Innovation theory and draws on the collective, diverse experiences we’ve seen succeed as we help companies accelerate their analytics aspirations. The model is adequately structured to bring focus where needed, yet flexible enough to incorporate the company’s ethos genuinely and authentically.
Book time with Bill if you’re interested in learning more about our accelerated upskilling model or anything related to advancing your data analytics and hyper-automation journey at your company. We’d sure love to hear from you.
Every day, we talk to professionals at every level across organizations, big and small, about building a data analytics culture. It’s by far our favorite part of the job. Watching faces light up on video calls as people envision the digital possibilities ahead is deeply rewarding. Yet, that initial enthusiasm often fades as the reality sets in that a goal without a plan is just a wish.
Why, then, is cultivating innovation so challenging? Shouldn’t the promise of reclaiming that elusive work-life balance make people eager to embrace new technology? And why do some companies succeed more than others in driving meaningful change?
Part of the answer lies in knowledge gaps. There’s what we know, what we know we don’t know, and then the elusive “unknown unknowns.” It’s difficult to act on what we don’t even realize we’re missing.
As Aristotle famously said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” This principle underpins our work at Data Prep U, where we aim to make data-driven excellence a core habit within organizations.
Enter Simon Sinek, the unshakable author, inspirational speaker, and eternal optimist. In his now-famous TED Talk, “Start with Why”, Sinek highlights the Diffusion of Innovation theory, first introduced by E.M. Rogers in 1962. This theory explains that people within a social system adopt new ideas or innovations when they perceive them as truly “new or innovative.” Adoption doesn’t happen all at once; instead, it progresses in phases, with some people naturally inclined to embrace innovation sooner than others.
This framework identifies key groups with unique characteristics that impact their likelihood of adopting innovation:
- Innovators (2.5%) - Eager to be first, these individuals willingly take risks to adopt change.
- Early Adopters (13.5%) - Seen as influencers within the organization, others look up to them.
- Early Majority (34%) - While not leaders, these individuals adopt new ideas before the average person.
- Late Majority (34%) - Generally skeptical of change.
- Laggards (15%) - Strongly bound by tradition and more conservative.
The Diffusion of Innovation theory emphasizes that to see real adoption, it’s essential to connect with the top 15%-18% of Innovators and Early Adopters in your audience.
Data Prep U’s Accelerated Upskilling Model doesn’t just identify and engage these early adopters; it aims to drive change by understanding the principles and nuances of this theory. Our model is designed to cultivate a sustainable culture of innovation, guiding companies to introduce new ideas in a way that’s structured, authentic, and aligned with their values. It’s about more than getting people on board—it’s about empowering teams to embrace transformation from the ground up.
Tom Hanks’ character in A League of Their Own famously said, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it,” while inspiring the first women’s league in America’s favorite pastime. The same could be said about cultivating innovation.
Fortunately, Data Prep U’s proprietary Accelerated Upskilling Model is grounded in the Diffusion of Innovation theory and draws on the collective, diverse experiences we’ve seen succeed as we help companies accelerate their analytics aspirations. The model is adequately structured to bring focus where needed, yet flexible enough to incorporate the company’s ethos genuinely and authentically.
Book time with Bill if you’re interested in learning more about our accelerated upskilling model or anything related to advancing your data analytics and hyper-automation journey at your company. We’d sure love to hear from you.
Transform Your Organization with Data Prep U
At Data Prep U, we combine years of experience with our proven Accelerated Upskilling Model to help teams embrace data-driven change. Our tailored solutions empower organizations to innovate and achieve real-world impact.
Interested in elevating your analytics capabilities? Schedule a time with us through our Microsoft Bookings Link to explore tailor-made solutions that can drive your business forward. Together, we can achieve extraordinary results.
Reach Out and Let's Get Started:
📧 Email: [email protected]
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