The Reality of New Business Development in Large Corporations #3: The Power of Engagement

In the previous article, I wrote about "Willpower (WILL)," one of the three strengths required of a theme owner in new business development at large corporations.

1. Willpower (WILL)

2. Power of Engagement

3. Execution Power

This time, I will talk about the second one, the "Power of Engagement."

There is a famous African proverb in the world of teamwork:
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
This also applies quite well to new business.

In the initial phase, such as coming up with ideas or creating a POC, it is fine to move forward on your own. However, if you want to go further, it becomes essential to work as a team.

Especially within large corporations, there are rarely any supermen like the so-called "charismatic startup CEOs." That is precisely why I believe a team that can compensate for each other's weaknesses is indispensable, even from the early phase.

In other words, the "power to engage others" is essential for doing new business. But the problem is, "How do you engage them?" I believe there are two types of this "Power of Engagement." These are the two.

• Power of Engagement through Strength

• Power of Engagement through Weakness

I have included an image in Figure 1.

With strength alone, it is easy to become "pushy" or "self-centered," making it difficult for the team to be independent. On the other hand, with weakness alone, the direction of the team can become difficult to see, and it can sometimes give the impression that there is no leader.

Therefore, the ideal is to have the flexibility to use both types of leadership depending on the situation and the other person. However, I recommend that you objectively look at which side you lean toward at least once. Here are two questions that can serve as hints for that judgment.

• Are you good at painting a clear vision and attracting people?

• Can you honestly share your weaknesses or things you are not good at with your members and ask for help?

It is ideal if you can say "yes" to both of these. But it is not a problem if you cannot answer to one of them. Because you will immediately know which type you are.

The reason why these two questions are important comes from my own experience.

I once knew someone who was a 'high-capability, lead-by-strength' type. However, that person struggled a bit with painting a 'vision that others could empathize with.' Because of that, the team members didn't understand 'what they were aiming for,' and people didn't follow.
Moreover, because they were so capable, they couldn't show their own weaknesses, which diminished the team members' 'sense of being useful,' and eventually, the team disbanded.

On the other hand, there was someone who, even without a clear vision, was the type to 'engage people by opening up about their own weaknesses.' This style has the power to make people think, 'I want to help this person.'
Because it makes people feel like 'I can contribute something too,' it's easier to foster the members' autonomy and sense of contribution. In new business development, teams like that often end up producing better results.

Of course, it depends on the situation and the abilities of the people around you, but I hope this serves as a useful reference.

Finally, as a practical guide to understanding 'the power of engagement,' I will introduce two ways to get people involved. These make sense from the perspective of behavioral economics, and I have also found them to be effective based on my own experience.

1. Instead of asking for full commitment from the start, try asking for a small task, maybe around 10% of the effort.
   (= Foot-in-the-door technique)

When you start with a small request, people are more likely to respond to larger requests that come later.
If you can get them involved even a little bit at the beginning, a sense of 'I am a member of this project' is born, and it becomes easier to get them increasingly involved.

2. Give shape to your ideas early and involve people while showing them.
(= Reality bias)

People are more likely to react to 'things they can see' than to abstract talk. For example, if you have a wireframe or a simple prototype, they can feel that 'Oh, it's already moving' or 'They are serious.' This makes it easier for the other party to make decisions, making it easier to get them involved.

Personally, I feel that this second method is particularly powerful.
You can't eat a 'pie in the sky.' That's what it comes down to.

So, if you have a good idea, try giving it some form, even if it's rough, and show it to the people around you. That is where the engagement begins.