Page 162 - The Power to Change Anything

Harness Peer Pressure 151

Instead, Mao zeroed in on locals who came from the villages
they were to serve, who were recommended by their peers, who
were committed to serve the people, and who had a basic level
of formal schooling, which put them close to their fellow vil-
lagers but slightly above them in education. In short, Mao
chose opinion leaders.
These “barefoot doctors,” as they were later called, were
given just a few months of medical training that covered basic
preventive practices that could quickly and significantly improve
public health in rural areas. They also learned how to treat the
most common maladies. And to reduce risk, they were taught
to refer more difficult cases to commune hospitals.
The results were immediate and dramatic. Health-related
habits in rural villages improved overnight. Villagers adopted
practices such as observing basic hygiene and boiling water;
and they adopted these practices much faster than predicted.
Mao broke from his traditional methods and didn’t issue uni-
lateral commands or create harsh policies because he knew
they wouldn’t have had much effect in rural China. Instead,
he coupled support from the top with the actions of on-the-
ground opinion leaders.

ENLIST SOCIAL SUPPORT
Rogers’s discovery offers enormous leverage to leaders, parents,
and the general population alike. When it comes to creating
change, you no longer have to worry about influencing every-
one at once. If you preside over a company with 10,000
employees, your job is to find the 500 or so opinion leaders who
are the key to everyone else. Spend disproportionate time with
them. Listen to their concerns. Build trust with them. Be open
to their ideas. Rely on them to share your ideas, and you’ll gain
a source of influence unlike any other.
You don’t get to decide whether or not you engage the help
of opinion leaders. By definition, they will always be engaged.