Page 157 - The Power to Change Anything

146 INFLUENCER

easier? The new strains of corn Rogers was touting produced
greater yields and were dramatically more disease resistant, and
therefore, far more profitable than current strains.
As Dr. Rogers talked with local farmers about the terrific
new seeds he was recommending, he quickly learned that his
education and connection to the university didn’t impress
them. He wasn’t exactly one of them. Farmers dressed differ-
ently; their hands were rough from physical labor; they read dif-
ferent magazines and watched different TV programs. Other
than speaking the English language, they scarcely had a thing
in common with Rogers.
At first, Dr. Rogers figured that this difference would actu-
ally work to his advantage. The reason the farmers should lis-
ten to his advice was because he hadn’t done what they had
done. He had made a careful study of the crops they should
grow. He was now working for the experts in agronomy. In fact,
Rogers figured that when he talked, farmers would be taking
notes and thanking him for helping them increase their yields.
But it didn’t work that way. It turns out that Rogers wasn’t
just different. In the farmers’ view, he was the wrong kind of dif-
ferent. He was naive. He was a city slicker. He had never plowed
a field. Sure, he said he read books, but what if he was wrong?
Who would dare put their annual harvest at risk by listening to
a young fellow just out of college? None of the farmers. That’s
who.
After being summarily rejected by his target population,
Rogers grew increasingly confused and desperate. What good
is it, Rogers wondered, to invent better methods—in fact, far
better methods—if no one will put them into practice? The
very advance of civilization relies on citizens letting go of old,
inefficient ways and embracing new, efficient ones. And Rogers
just happened to know what those better ways were—at least
for the farmers.
What could Dr. Rogers do if people didn’t respect him
(which they most certainly didn’t)? The very fact that he was