You Are the 3.5%
How many people does it take to change a culture? In his book Beyond High Performance, Jason Jaggard tees up an interesting response with this hypothetical objection: “Jason, I’m only one person. How can I change my entire team, organization, or culture?” He replies, “I want to assure you that math is on your side here. Erica Chenoweth, a political scientist at Harvard University, extensively studied civil resistances and means for radical change. In her research, she found, not surprisingly, acts of civil disobedience were the most effective in social change. She analyzed hundreds of campaigns over the last century and found that non-violent campaigns were twice as likely to achieve their goals as violent ones. But the most surprising part of her research was that she found that 3.5% of the population participating in the protests were required to bring about that change. Just 3.5%! Over the history of humankind, small minorities have exercised an incredible influence upon our cultures and have changed them for the better (and worse). It doesn’t take a lot. In many cases the organization’s leaders set the tone for the entire organization. Conversely, it only takes a small minority to change it completely. Beware your own influence.”
This passage got me thinking. I am more than 3.5% of my family, more than 3.5% of my team at work, and 3.5% of my town would only be 630 people. In all of these communities, it is easy for me to say, “That’s just how things are” about the things I wish would change, but what if this is just a convenient story to avoid the work of leadership? What if I am radically underestimating my own capacity to lead positive change?
This week, I invite you to join me in applying Chenoweth’s 3.5% rule to your own life:
What communities and organizations are you a part of? What percent are you of these groups? How many people would it take to have a 3.5% minority? What are the “attitudes or mindsets or habits you have that you wouldn’t want others to have?” How would you show up differently in these groups if you assumed your impact is much greater than you currently think it is?
God bless,
Dan
