Tipping Point

In 2000, Malcome Gladwell published the book _The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference_, in which he introduced the concept of the tipping point – that moment in time when a new idea or paradigm becomes broadly accepted.

Gladwell explored how new concepts that represented a Paradigm Shift could move from a minority to a majority of members in a community. He paid particular attention to the role of connections, surmising that everyone was connected within six relationships. These connections facilitated the dissemination of new ideas.

Tipping Point

Then, in 2010, scientists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute published a study that found that when just 10 percent of the population embraced a new paradigm, the paradigm was quickly adopted by the majority of the community.

This understanding of tipping points is critical for developing a strategy for cultural transformation in schools and businesses. It brings into focus the critical role of Innovators and Early Adopters that are embracing new mindsets. They play a critical role in building a bridge over Moore's Chasm in the Rogers Curve – allowing a culture to quickly reach its tipping point.

DOT FROM preview-next-diagram