Propositions For Proponents

Question:

Can you come up with propositions that the Proponent of the idea, who knows the above and other propositions that are likely to be employed, can use to ensure that the idea survives and overcomes the opposition?

Enter in the space below (and above the discussion line)

PropositionsForProponents of the new Idea:

1) Persistence: New ideas require leadership to survive. Leading a new idea is a very lonely task and the path to adoption will most certainly be paved with opposition and failure. Multiple iterations are required to refine new ideas.

2) Enthusiasm: New ideas need followers for completion.

3) Clarity: Ideas need to be communicated. Empathy, listening and understanding those you are trying to communicate to is necessary to achieve this.

4) Agility: Ideas need to be applied in circumstances that are not always predictable.

5) Belief: If you are unsure yourself this will be visible. As Yoda said "Do not try. Do or do not. There is no try"

6) Evidence: Arguing on abstract principles may get you nowhere, so be prepared to support your idea with specific numbers and/or a sample implementation. Bonus points for being able to demonstrate the idea in a big production system.

7) Resubmit: A little used trick, is to have someone else present the idea as theirs, as often the idea is opposed due to whom proposed it, rather than the idea itself. I have seen where even the most ardently opposed idea suddenly is accepted as "why didn't we think of that before?" and the credit given to the second presenter.

Discussion:

Could someone give an example of what this page is talking about?

I'm not quite sure, but the first thing that comes to mind is that the consequences of being an opponent to new ideas often results in loss of MarketShare? and obsoletion, as documented by ClaytonChristensen's theory of DisruptiveTechnology in The InnovatorsDilemma. -- MichaelLeach

If you have an idea, how do you make it happen? What patterns will work, what principles are needed, what dangers lie ahead. That's my take on it and something I'm real interested in. -- PaulCaswell

Sounds like something to do with unfair competition.

Someone is trying to take TheDilbertPrinciple to college.