What Kind of Champion?

This post was prepared 4/15/15 for publication 4/22/15 at 6:00 am.


Osborne, Larry. Innovation’s Dirty Little Secret: Why Serial Innovators Succeed Where Others Fail. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 9, “A Respected Champion: The Difference a John the Baptist Makes” (Loc. 856-958)

In this chapter Osborne approaches the difficulty of being someone who is not a powerful and respected leader. Being an innovator is more difficult but it is not impossible (Loc. 863). The innovator simply finds a “respected champion” (Loc. 866). Osborne illustrates a time when his ideas were accepted after a respected individual endorsed them. The dynamics change when the right people are willing to endorse a view. Osborne suggests looking for the people who can influence others in accepting or rejecting ideas (Loc. 894). Those influential people play a strategic role in keeping innovations moving until others adopt them (Loc. 932). Osborne says that Jesus used John the Baptist in this way, as someone to “kick-start his ministry” (Loc. 938). He concludes the chapter with questions which can be used to identify champions in your organization.