Transitions are Complex Affairs
Roger Woodworth, principal consultant at Mindset Matters, helps others align strategies for greater impact. Previously he was vice president and chief strategy officer of Avista Corp. He’s chaired Edison Electric Institute’s customer service executive advisory committee and was board president of the National Hydropower Association and the Northwest Gas Association.
People in some parts of the world still depend on sticks and cow pies to fuel everyday life. By some estimates, more than one billion people on the planet have yet to see a light switch. Of course, the rest of society has long since moved on, more than once. And each transition has followed a similar pattern.
Here’s the basic plot: early champions develop a fuel source different from the preferred one. Market demand for the newbie is slow at first. Habits are, after all, hard to break.
Other factors influence the pace of change. Basic things matter, like access to resources, reliable technology, and channels for distribution and service.
Relative value among alternatives comes into play, as do reputations, competitive behaviors and even personalities. Then there’s the persistent, sometimes pesky, influence of politics. The push and pull of incumbents versus newbies carry on, like a slow tug of war.
Eventually, a tipping point is reached and the new source joins the preferred mix of energy choices. The transition winds down and the market settles, until the next newbie emerges.