The Tipping Point By Malcolm Gladwell

December 7, 2011

Gladwell in a 305 pages well researched book brilliantly explains what makes things tip from their original equilibrium. He defines the tipping point as, “the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point…the mysterious “. Why things all the sudden become huge success or what brings things from their panicles to their demise. Gladwell digs dip to dissect the catalysts of that make things tip. It is about how the very small things make the biggest difference. Gladwell gives many specific examples why this is important…

The author emphasizes, we are different, acute and knowledgeable in different subjects… but we over simplify the information to help us make sense of our world. We might say my friend JJ is wonderfully honest or generous but we don’t say he is honest when it comes to certain things but not when it comes to… We don’t say he is generous when it comes to food but not car… the human mind has “reducing valve that creates and maintains the perception of continuity even in the face of perpetual observed changes in actual behavior.”

Gladwell, defines the agents of change as the three rules of epidemics, those are the things that drive the change or the epidemic for change. The three rules of the Tipping Point are, the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Facto & the Power of Context. The epidemic is carried out by what economist term it as the rule of 80/20; that is to say approximately 80% of work is done by approximately 20% of the people. Gladwell terms that The Law of the Few. Those 20% who are responsible for most part of the success are split into 3 groups.

• The Connectors, those that who are gifted in linking people to each other.
• The Mavens, those are the information specialists, very knowledgeable about different subjects.
• The Salesmen, those charismatic and tactful in selling, negotiating & persuading others.

In order for those three agents above to succeed in carrying out their respective skills, The Stickiness Factor (meaning the content of a message) as well as, The Power of Context (method of delivery) plays an instrumental role.

Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen are not distinguished from others not by their worldly status and achievements, but rather by their particular standing among their friends. “People look out to them not out envy but out of love…[that is why they have the power to break through] the rising tide isolation and immunity.” P. 277

Gladwell says, "Epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur”.

Now, how to internalize this information and put it to use? Amongst your own friends who are the influential and risk takers? Who makes the message stick? People are ranked into three groups per se. Here is how one can be assessed his/her influence on others. The first groups are the Innovators (the adventurous ones) who are risk takers, the Early Adopters, those opinion leaders in the community, thoughtful and respected by others, they see what the Innovators do and with a slight modification they carry on. Then you have the last group, the Early/Late Majority, those whose personality are deliberate and skeptics, who would never try anything until the most respected have tried it.

Cheers,
Daniel