Welcome to our latest newsletter...   

We hope you enjoy this edition and find something useful in it. 

VNIP Staff

office@vnip.org  

The Tipping Point

By Anne Walker

I was trying to get a project off the ground and was having trouble getting enthusiasm beyond those who were on the project team and who already love to try new things. So, I reread "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell, trying to find new ideas. Lo and behold, I learned that I don't have all the right people on my team!  

This book reminds me how products, ideas or movements get accepted by the "critical mass." He calls the time when things are widely accepted "the Tipping Point." In his book Gladwell says: "It is the best way to understand the emergence of fashion trends, crime waves, or unknown books becoming bestsellers." He goes on to describe that ideas, products or trends spread like viruses with the help of three distinct types of people who make things happen: Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen.

Connectors are people who bring the world together through the people they know who have the ability to make impact. Mavens are people who accumulate knowledge about a particular topic. Mavens are information brokers who love to share knowledge with others and solve problems. Last there are Salesmen who have the ability to persuade or influence the masses who might ordinarily not be convinced by the Mavens. These folks are critical to the tipping point of any project that needs to capture the imagination of the general populace.

Mavens, Connectors and Salesmen make an idea seem logical and possible, and help spread the message or idea like a virus. Think about how any idea catches on in your organization and becomes accepted. You will probably find all three types involved in the acceptance of the idea. Now think about concepts that have been difficult to get implemented. I bet you find that you did not have all of these players on your team.

Next time you are trying to implement a project or get a new idea or concept across, intentionally identify these people and get them on your team to help reach the "Tipping Point" of your project.  

Now, I am going to go out and make sure I have all of the Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen I need to get my project off the ground!

Gladwell, Malcolm, "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference", Little Brown, New York, 2000.

Dr. Judy Boychuk Duchscher, RN, PhD, who is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary has published a book outlining her transition model.  

To find out more about it go to: 

http://www.nursingthefuture.ca/from_surviving_to_thriving    

Nurses Day at the State House is scheduled for Thursday April 19, 2012 in Montpelier, VT. Registration information can be found here.   

VNIP Research Project:  Preceptor Roles and Instructional Requirements is off to a strong start. A broad, diverse group has been recruited for the Research Advisory Panel. The Panel currently includes representation from 23 states and 3 countries. There are several major medical centers volunteering to partner in data collection - even though we have not yet started marketing the work. The initial grant proposal, submitted in January, was denied; so we are exploring other possibilities for budget support.  In the meantime, the work goes forward with strong volunteer support and commitment. Be sure to check this newsletter over the coming year for updates on our progress!