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One clear danger in the Mobilization phase is that people tend to cooperation. A straightforward way to create legitimacy and visible sponsorship is to directly
overestimate the potential of initial business model ideas. This can involve a respected member of top management from the very beginning. 251
lead to a closed mindset and limited exploration of other possibili- } Manage vested interests Take care to identify and manage vested interests throughout the
ties. Try to mitigate this risk by continuously testing the new ideas organization. Not everybody in an organization is interested in reinventing the current business
with people from varied backgrounds. You may also want to consider model. In fact, the design effort may threaten some people.
organizing a so-called kill/thrill session in which all participants } Cross-functional team As described previously (see p. 143), the ideal business model task force
are tasked first with brainstorming for 20 minutes on reasons why is composed of people from across the organization, including different business units, business
the idea won’t work (the “kill” portion), then spend 20 minutes functions (e.g. marketing, finance, IT), levels of seniority and expertise, and so forth. Different
brainstorming exclusively on why the idea will fly (the “thrill” por- organizational perspectives help generate better ideas, and increase the likelihood that the
tion). It’s a powerful way to challenge an idea’s fundamental worth. project will succeed. A cross-functional team helps identify and overcome potential obstacles
to reinvention early in the game and encourages buy-in.
} Orienting decision makers You should plan on spending a considerable amount of time
Working from the Established Company Perspective orienting and educating decision makers on business models, their importance, and the design
} Project legitimacy Building project legitimacy is a critical suc- and innovation process. This is critical to gaining buy-in and overcoming resistance to the
cess factor when working within established organizations. unknown or not-yet-understood. Depending on your organization’s management style you may
Since business model design projects affect people across want to avoid overemphasizing the conceptual aspects of business models. Stay practical and
organizational boundaries, a strong and visible commitment by deliver your message with stories and images rather than concepts and theory.
the board and/or top management is indispensable to obtaining

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