I heard in yesterday’s news about an early small outbreak in influenza in a local university, and it got me thinking about a book that was popular three or four years ago (“The Tipping Point”) and how it relates to social and organizational change.

Those of you who have read the book know the author’s premise: that change (societal, organizational, political, etc.) often happens quickly and unexpectedly.  Think about some of the unpredictable – and somewhat unexplained – shifts we’ve seen in business and society recently.  Like the craze around Apple’s iPod and then the iPhone.  In fact, think about the frenzy around any number of new technologies introduced in the last few years: Bluetooth and wireless technology, Nintendo’s Wii (and before that, Xbox), PDAs like Blackberry’s, GPS technology, and so forth.

Beyond technology, there are:

• trends in fashion: why are mini-skirts “in” one year and bell bottoms the next?
• trends in kids toys: remember when Strawberry Shortcake was “the” toy to have at holiday time, then Cabbage Patch Kids, then Barney, then Tickle Me Elmo, then Thomas the Train? – and I’m sure I missed a dozen more that were the rage over the last 20 years.
• trends in books: other than through promotion on Oprah, why do obscure authors instantly become best sellers?
• trends in movies or TV shows: think of the popularity – almost cult-like followings – for Star Trek, the Cosby Show, Seinfeld, CSI, Desperate Housewives, etc. etc.
• trends in stock picks: some sectors, irrespective of financial fundamentals, get “hot” at certain times, while others for no logical reason fall out of favor.
• trends in crime: it’s certainly the dark side of society, but why does crime seem to feed on itself in certain communities (or parts of communities), even resulting in “copycat” criminals?

Malcolm Galdwell, the author of The Tipping Point, believes – and so do I – that the answer to those questions is pretty much the same: ideas, behaviors, messages, societal trends, and products sometimes behave just like outbreaks of infectious disease.  However, they are “social epidemics” that – like infectious epidemics – sometimes behave, move, mutate, and evolve in counterintuitive, organic, and unpredictable ways. 

Think about it.  Why did this flu outbreak – so early in the season – strike one university in the Twin Cities?  Aside from the biology of it (it’s approaching flu season, it’s getting colder so more are indoors, etc.) – why THIS university and why now?  Why do measles blow up at XYZ grade school quickly and then die out almost as quickly?  The smallest of changes – one child gets the virus on an airplane ride back from grandma’s house in Paducah, then brings it back to his classmates – can make a huge impact.

We’re wired to want predictability and routine.  As humans, we want – and actually, through science and math, we’re taught – that there is a relationship between cause and effect.  And while that usually occurs, sometimes there are seemingly small events that have major, unpredictable impact.

The “tipping point” concept comes from epidemiology.  According to Gladwell, it’s… “that moment when a virus reaches critical mass…It’s the boiling point, the moment on the graph when the line starts to shoot straight upwards.”

Gladwell goes on to say: “…once you understand the pattern, you start to see it everywhere.  [He’s] convinced that ideas and behaviors and new products move through a population much like a disease does.  Ideas [and products] can be contagious in the same way that a virus is.  Behaviors can be contagious and infectious, transmitted from one person to another as easily as the flu or the measles.”

Why does this happen?  I suppose there are many reasons, but I’ll offer two.  First, people are naturally social creatures and want to feel as if they belong to a bigger community.  Though we all adopt new products, ideas, and behavior at different speeds (the early adopters, the majority, the laggards, etc.), in general, people jump onto certain bandwagons.

Second, behavior sometimes follows the principles of epidemiology.  Little changes can have big impacts; cause and effect are not always related; and sometimes products, ideas, and behavior spread in unpredictable, exponential ways.  Think of the power of “word of mouth” – the incredible ability to extend something to broad reaches, through networking.  But this, of course, may be why the spread, like a contagious disease, is somewhat unpredictable – why does it travel the path it does, the speed it does, and the distance it does?

Admittedly, this column is more esoteric than my usual rants.  But I will leave you (hopefully) with some practical thoughts about what this means for organizations on the pursuit of excellence.  Two ideas – one for how this relates to core products/services, and one for how this relates to organizational change.

First, if ideas, behaviors, and products really do sometimes behave like contagious diseases – the iPod, the Bluetooth, certain fashions, certain books or books, movies, or car types – then an organization can use this to its marketing advantage.  Certain companies are becoming expert at social networking and viral marketing (two phrases that I dare say didn’t exist even three years ago): they are using the Internet to spread information and messages about their products and services.  And it’s not traditional marketing like ad space and banners, but rather they are flooding social networking sites (like mySpace and many others) with information on their products and services.  They are attempting to utilize the web in a way that maximizes the connectivity of us all (think about the virtual “word of mouth” through the path of a marketing-related email).

They are also doing the same in a physical sense: I have actually heard of companies that have hired individuals to be “plants” in social settings, using a product in front of potential customers so that the benefits and features can be demonstrated, if not somewhat in a contrived setting.  “Hey look at that guy using a cool flip phone or [iPhone or whatever]…I have to check that thing out.”  You get the point.

And this doesn’t apply only to businesses.  Look at healthcare providers trying to promote healthy behavior, educators trying to encourage students to hit the books or get involved, or non-profits trying to advance their mission or message.  Even “non-businesses” have products and services they can promote in viral ways.

Second, if ideas, behaviors, and messages behave like contagious diseases, imagine the possibilities in managing change WITHIN an organization.  After all, organizations – because they are managed and operated by people – really are social networks.  There are many companies’ internal communications departments that not only use Intranet, emails, and other visible communication mechanisms, but also use the grapevine to integrate messages into the workforce.  Imagine that: a planted message by the CEO into a corporation that flies through email, text messages, break rooms, and water cooler talk in a way that’s viral, somewhat unpredictable, but explosive and impactful.  Imagine, in the context of leading organizational change, that you could proactively try to reach that proverbial “tipping point,” where a certain critical mass of your key stakeholders get the message and somehow – organically and perhaps counterintuitively – change their behavior.

I’m all about processes, and systems, and data-based decisions (see last month’s column).  But in a complex, highly connected world where ideas, behaviors, messages, and products now spread in contagious ways, organizations may be wise to consider new strategies in reaching a tipping point to promote their products and messages.

Yours in Improvement,

Brian S. Lassiter

President, Minnesota Council for Quality

The Minnesota Council for Quality is pleased to announce that participants in the Minnesota Quality Award Board of Evaluators learning experience now have the opportunity to earn undergraduate credit at University of Minnesota by registering for ABus 4321 “Evaluating Performance Excellence in Organizations.”  The U of M joins the University of Wisconsin-Stout in awarding academic credit to registered students for the intensive Evaluator regimen with the Minnesota Quality Award program.

"We are excited to partner with the University of Minnesota to offer credit for the experience of being a Minnesota Quality Award Evaluator,” says Brian Lassiter, president of the Minnesota Council for Quality.  “Evaluators are critical to our achieving our mission of helping Minnesota organizations reach higher levels of performance.  So offering them an opportunity to earn credit at the U of M or UW-Stout is a small way to thank them for their expertise and time, and to recognize them for their additional learning.” 

The Minnesota Council for Quality is also pleased to announce training dates for the 2008 Minnesota Quality Award Board of Evaluator training.  Sessions will be offered February 26-28 and September 30-October 2 in the Twin Cities and June 17-19 in Rochester.  New Evaluators are also required to attend a one-day orientation that precedes full training.  Orientation dates for the first session are February 6, 12, or 14 (the individual chooses one); all will be held in the Twin Cities.

Founded in 1991, the primary objective of the Minnesota Quality Award is to help organizations improve their performance results.  The Award also serves to recognize performance excellence throughout the state.  The Minnesota Quality Award is given at four levels – Excellence (the top Award), Achievement, Advancement, and Commitment – and is the culmination of a rigorous assessment process that uses the “Criteria for Performance Excellence” of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.  Since 1991, 88 organizations have received Minnesota Quality Award recognition at various levels (a full list is at http://www.councilforquality.org/assess_org_award.cfm).

Organizations that participate in the process receive comprehensive feedback that outlines their strengths and improvement opportunities in dozens of organizational processes including: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, information, and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results.  This feedback is typically used by senior leaders for organizational learning, planning, and improvement. The evaluation process relies on a fully volunteer Board of Evaluators, over 100 professionals from across the state who offer their time and expertise to help organizations improve.  Evaluators represent a collection of business leaders, healthcare professionals, educators, public sector administrators, and non-profit professionals.  Senior leaders, middle managers, consultants, and individual practitioners participate as Evaluators; students and workers-in-transition also participate on the Board of Evaluators.

“We are excited to partner with the Minnesota Council for Quality on this effort,” says Nancy Schubert, associate director of the Bachelor of Applied Science degree program of the University of Minnesota’s College of Continuing Education.  “The experience of being an Evaluator exposes students to what is necessary to drive organizational excellence.  It also offers an opportunity for students to apply several other skills – such as leadership, verbal and written communication, and analysis – in a team environment on a real Minnesota company.  We believe this non-traditional course will add greatly to students’ learning experience.”

To earn credit, Evaluators need to register for the U of M’s course “Evaluating Performance Excellence in Organizations,” participate in all Evaluator training, and complete an evaluation of a Minnesota organization through the Minnesota Quality Award process.  Evaluators pay a small fee for Evaluator training and pay tuition to the U of M.

The course is part of a new quality certificate being offered by the College of Continuing Education.  For more information, visit http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/index.html (and search for course ABUS 4321 Evaluating Performance Excellence in Organizations), or contact Brian Lassiter at brian.lassiter@councilforquality.org.

If you’re like most people, you have a really good idea about how to set goals.  At this time of year, we tend to call those goals “resolutions,” and we look at the turn of the calendar as a great time to start fresh.  But if you really are like most people, you are much better at setting those goals than actually achieving them.

The Minnesota Council for Quality is pleased to welcome Jodee Bock, principal and founder of Bock’s Office out of Fargo ND, to our December 6 Minneapolis PIN discussion.  In this discussion, participants will learn to choose goals with purpose -- to use what they don’t want to help them determine what they DO want, and then to set the goals based on wants rather than needs. 

Typically, PIN focuses on organizational excellence, but this topic is about personal excellence and renewal.  If you’re sick of setting goals and resolutions just to break them a couple of weeks later, you won’t want to miss this presentation!

The discussion is from 8:00-9:00 a.m. on December 6 (networking and continental breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m.) at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), 1501 Hennepin (15th and Hennepin), downtown Minneapolis, Room L3000 (Wheelock-Whitney Library).  Parking is available at their ramp across Hennepin (for $5).  Admission to PIN is FREE for Council members; $10 for partner organizations; $20 for the public.

Organizations achieve high performance teams through courageous leadership and effective systems—it’s a delicate balance of candor, vision, systems and accountability.  The high performance team leader builds strong teams where people are united in pursuit of goals and collaborate to accomplish results.  The leader helps the group establish direction and priorities that are aligned with business unit or organizational goals.

The Minnesota Council for Quality is pleased to welcome Peter Germann, vice president of Organization Performance and Executive Coach with MDA Leadership, Minneapolis, to our December 12 St. Paul PIN discussion.  In this discussion, Mr. Germann, will share a robust team model to assess the current effectiveness of your team, share insights for leveraging the strengths of the team and addressing development needs, and discuss the critical team leader role.

The discussion is from 8:00-9:00 a.m. on December 12 (networking and continental breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m.) at Metro State University, 700 7th Street E, St. Paul.  Admission to PIN is FREE for Council members; $10 for partner organizations; $20 for the public.

During its 59-year history, Foldcraft Co. – a full-line manufacturer and marketing of furniture and furnishings for the restaurant and hospitalities industries, based in Kenyon, Minnesota – has had to learn how to survive the challenges of being a small company in a small town but competing in a big marketplace – a challenge for many Minnesota firms.  So Foldcraft sought the “magic” that would create a rewarding, harmonious workplace that creates exceptional products rendered with awesome service.  During the past 22 years, Foldcraft has developed management innovations to help it not only survive the challenges, but transform itself and its employee-owners in the process.

The Rochester Area Quality Council, an affiliate of the Minnesota Council for Quality, is pleased to welcome Steve Sheppard, retired Chair CEO of Foldcraft Company, to our December 4 meeting.  Steve was Chair and Chief Executive Officer for Foldcraft from 1990 until his retirement from the firm in 2005.  Steve will discuss the methods and innovations employed at Foldcraft Co. to make it a remarkable success story.  He will highlight Foldcraft’s employee ownership (ESOP) structure.  And he will discuss management methods such as their “open book management” approach, participation methods, “holistic” approaches to corporate wellness, and continuous improvement methodologies.  Finally, Steve will share lessons he has learned from his involvement with the private foundation, Winds of Peace (WPF), which makes grants and microloans to the rural poor of Nicaragua.  While the corporate and Central American environments may seem planets apart, the lessons learned from each have an amazing and instructive overlap.

Are you looking for a strategic planning consultant?  A consultant with Six Sigma, Lean, Balanced Scorecard, Baldrige, or ISO?  A consultant or trainer on leadership Organizational Development, or change efforts?

The Minnesota Council for Quality -- in cooperation with the Delaware Alliance for Excellence, the Kansas Center for Performance Excellence, the Michigan Quality Council, the Ohio Partnership for Excellence, the Vermont Council for Quality, the Washington State Quality Award, and the Wisconsin Forward Award -- is pleased to offer a free on-line service, the Consultant Referral Network©, to help organizations find experts to help them improve their business.

Located at www.consultantreferralnetwork.org, the Consultant Referral Network is a dynamic, web-enabled search tool that connects organizational improvement experts to client organizations seeking them.  This service allows clients to outline their needs in terms of subject matter expertise sought, type of assistance desired (consulting, training, coaching, speaking, or facilitating), sector/industry expertise required, size of consulting firm desired, desired location of consulting firm, and years of experience preferred.  The client can also weight the relative importance of each variable.  The tool will then identify up to five consultants or firms that best match the client’s needs.

Organizations can also peruse a directory of all consultants, sorted by subject matter expertise, location, and other factors. 

Professionals have talked about it, experienced it, and maybe even succumbed to it: toxic personalities at work.  Individuals who demonstrate counterproductive work behaviors that debilitate work teams or systems have been long on history, but sparse on bona fide research and consistent practices in how to handle this.  Until now.

The MN OD Network, an alliance partner of the Council, is pleased to announce its December 3 program “Toxic Personalities.”  This program will focus on the dramatic results from a national research study of toxic personalities that Dr. Mitch Kusy (University of St. Thomas) conducted with co-researcher Dr. Elizabeth Holloway.  The results of this study pinpoint the core dimensions OD professionals and other leaders need to understand to work effectively with toxic individuals.

Is your company prepared for when the baby boomer generation retires? What are the threats posed by an aging workforce to your business? What is the bottom line impact of the financial and healthcare shortfalls exacerbated by an aging workforce?

Minnesota Technology, Inc. (MTI), a Partner of the MN council for Quality, is pleased to present “Planning for an Aging Workforce: What Demographic Shifts will Demand for your Business to Succeed” on December 4.  Come to this compelling event to learn how the looming shortage of available quality workers will have a direct impact on your company’s products and services – and your profitability.

The session will be led by several expert presenters:

• Tom Norman, Director, University of Minnesota, College of Continuing Education
• Rosie Ward, Health Management Consultant, RFJ Agencies
• Brad Theisen, CPA and Partner, Eide Bailly LLP
• Lauri Dahlberg, PHR/Human Resources Manager, Eide Bailly LLP
• Larson King LLP
• John Connelly, Director of Product Development

The session will be Tuesday, December 4 from 8:00 - 11:30 a.m. at the University of Minnesota, College of Continuing Education in St. Paul.  Cost is $90 (discount of $65 for registering early and a group rate of four for $250 also available).  For more information, visit http://www.minnesotatechnology.org/training/DEC4_form.asp.

MTI will also present “Planning for an Aging Workforce: What Demographic Shifts will Demand for Businesses to Succeed” on December 5 in the Twin Cities.  More information is forthcoming.

Organizations go through relatively predictable steps and phases to get better at building talent.  Try as they might to shortcut the journey by copying best practices from others, they learn that it takes repeated focus and hard work to develop the leaders they need.

The University of Minnesota’s College of Continuing Education -- in partnership with the MN council for Quality, the U of M’s Academic Corporate Relations Center, the Governor’s Workforce Development Council, Minnesota Technology, the State of Minnesota, and the U of M’s Food Industry Center – are pleased to announce the second of five sessions in their 2007-08 Strategic Leadership Insights series.  The session, “The Talent Solution: Aligning Strategy and People to Achieve Extraordinary Results,” will feature Ed Gubman, Ph.D., of Strategic Talent Solutions.

Dr. Gubman's presentation will describe why leadership development is so hard and the four stages of talent management that organizations go through, which enable you to assess your company's talent stage, and identify concrete steps to improvement. You will learn about a new form of strategic talent review, designed to answer the key question, "Do you have the right people in the right jobs to achieve your near-term strategy?"

The next Winona Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) session is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11 from 12-1PM.  The topic “Employment Law,” will be facilitated by Dawn Harris of O’Flaherty Heim Egan, Ltd.  Details will be announced at http://winona.shrm.org/.

The University of Minnesota’s College of Continuing Education, an alliance partner of the Council, is pleased to announce their fall improvement and business courses.  Council members receive a 10% discount on all CCE courses.

Day Courses

11/16      Increasing Power and Influence through Listening    $395

11/16      Project Leadership and Implementation      $395

11/29      Capstone in Supervision   $750

11/29      Business Information Technologies            $395

12/5        Writing Business Reports             $395

12/5        Organizational Training and Development   $395

12/6        Leading Through Change              $395

12/6        Exercising Organizational Influence           $395

12/6        Retirement Benefits Practices and Strategies         $395

12/14      Coaching for Excellence   $395

12/14      Project Communicating and Connecting     $395

12/18      The Recruiter as Talent Adviser     $395

12/19      Legal Issues for Managers and Supervisors            $395

12/19      Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Skills           $395

12/19      Strategic Human Resource Planning          $395

Evening Courses

11/20      Personal Influence and Leadership             $395

11/20      Coaching for Excellence   $395

11/28      Project Communicating and Connecting     $395

11/29      Principles of Employee Compensation       $395

South Central College is pleased to announce their fall quality and performance improvement curriculum.  Council members are entitled to a 10% discount.

The following courses will be held at the Faribault campus (prices before member discount):

11/28/07, Understanding & Implementing ISO 9001:2000, $235, 8a-4:30p

11/29/07, Internal Auditor Skills, $235, 8a-4:30p

12/10/07, Electrostatic Discharge Basics, $235, 8a-4:30p

12/20/07, Supplier Quality Management & Improvement, $235, 8a-4:30p

The following courses will be held at the North Mankato campus (prices before member discount):

11/16/07, Management Review Process for ISO 9001, $125, 8a-12n

The following courses will be held at Ridgewater College, Hutchinson campus (prices before member discount):

12/3/07, Project Management , $235, 8a-4:30p

12/4/07, Microsoft Project 2003, $235, 8a-4:30p

The American Society for Quality’s (ASQ) Women in Quality Network (WIQ) allows its community members to network with other quality professionals, offering opportunities to share advice and learn from each other.  Launched in September, the network is open to ASQ members and non-members at no charge.

With approximately 400 members, the network has started to hold live events, including a networking lunch at the ASQ Quality Audit Division conference, and the Energy and Environment Division/Construction and Design Division conference.