Who are Activators? ⚡️🧲🥇

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📖 In the bestselling book The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell , the author explores how ideas, products, and movements reach a magical moment when they "tip"—a turning point where momentum builds and popularity explodes.

But what if you could actively create that tipping point?

That's Activation.

By strategically involving key people and groups, and activating their engagement—you ensure momentum builds and sustains long after the initial surge.

Activation is a deliberate, structured approach designed to create and drive engagement around a cause, initiative, or organization.

Activation isn’t just about starting something; it’s about making sure it scales, sticks, and creates lasting impact.

The Framework for Activation

Activation isn’t just an abstract concept; it’s rooted in five key elements that work together to create momentum and ensure long-term impact:

1. Foundational Insights: Think of this as your "why." What’s the purpose behind the movement or initiative? Successful activation starts by identifying the core problem or opportunity that needs to be addressed.
2. Unique Value Creation: Activators don’t just identify a cause — they bring something fresh to the table. Whether it’s a new product, a disruptive idea, or a cultural movement, there’s always a unique angle that creates value and attracts attention.
3. Network and Influence Building: No one activates change in isolation. Building relationships, partnerships, and alliances is crucial. Activators know how to bring people together and build strong networks that amplify their message.
4. Momentum Activation: This is the heart of activation. It’s about taking action, gathering energy, and moving fast. Think of it like pushing a snowball down a hill — it starts small, but with the right push, it quickly gathers speed and mass.
5. Long-Term Succession and Impact: Activators don’t stop once they hit a goal. Their work leaves a legacy, ensuring that the momentum they've built continues, even after they step away. Long-term impact means embedding systems and structures that outlive the initial burst of energy.

Who Are Activators?

Now that we understand Activation, let’s talk about the people behind it — Activators.

You’ve seen them before, even if you didn’t realize it at the time. These are the people who shake things up, drive change, and inspire others. They’re the ones leading revolutions in business, tech, government, activism, culture, and beyond.

But what sets them apart?

Activators blend skills from different areas and use that wide range of expertise to see connections and opportunities others miss.

They thrive in environments where they can be catalysts for change, build communities, and move between different roles seamlessly.

An Activator's impact comes not just from having great ideas but from their ability to get others on board and turn vision into action.

Activators are…

1. Leaders of Movements: They start, scale, and lead movements that achieve a future vision. They rally people around a cause, and turn ideas into actions that create real results and lasting impact.
2. Community Builders: They excel in bringing people together around a shared goal. Whether leading a corporate team, grassroots movement, or online platform, they understand the power of community and collaboration that amplifies impact.
3. Supperconnectors and Influencers: They have vast networks across industries, and an innate ability to connect with people in meaningful ways. Activators use their influence to create buy-in, secure resources, and drive initiatives forward.
4. Catalysts and High-Performers: They are dynamic, action-oriented individuals who get things done. Activators are not afraid to dive into the work and are often seen as high-ROI "unicorn hires" who deliver transformative results.
5. Multi-Disciplinary: They bring a wide range of experiences and skills, often blending expertise from multiple fields. Their versatility allows them to work across teams or different industries, enabling them to identify opportunities others may overlook. Activators excel at connecting the dots between seemingly unrelated sectors.
6. Visionaries with Strategic Execution: They combine visionary thinking with strategic engagement. Activators understand to achieve something monumental you need equal parts vision, plan, people, and execution.

Let's explore some exemplary Activators across industries - each of which have had big success.

What themes can you spot amongst these leaders?

• Alexis Ohanian Sr. – ( Reddit, Inc. & Seven Seven Six 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ ), Ohanian co-founded Reddit, activating one of the largest online communities in the world, based on user-generated content and engagement. His later focus as a venture capitalist on women-led startups shows his skill in mobilizing diverse ecosystems and driving large-scale activation.
• Stacy Brown-Philpot – ( Taskrabbit ), As CEO, Brown-Philpot activated TaskRabbit’s growth by streamlining operations and prioritizing community, transforming the gig economy through user-centric innovations that expanded the platform's reach and engagement.
• Jason Fried – ( 37signals ), Fried activated the shift to remote work by promoting simplicity and efficiency in project management with one of their products Basecamp. His advocacy for remote collaboration ignited global discussions and adoption of new work models. Read my article with Jason Fried where I highlight his crusade.
• Sheryl Sandberg – ( Lean In )Sandberg’s Lean In campaign activated a global conversation on women’s leadership and workplace equality, building a community that challenges corporate norms and supports women in pursuing leadership roles.
• Payal Kadakia Pujji – ( ClassPass ), Kadakia revolutionized the fitness industry by activating a community-driven platform that connected fitness enthusiasts with gyms. She scaled ClassPass globally, fostering partnerships and user engagement through a seamless tech solution.
• [A Cautionary Tale]: Adam Neumann – WeWork, Neumann activated the coworking space revolution with WeWork, creating community-driven hubs for startups. However, Adam’s lack of financial discipline and operational oversight eventually led to WeWork’s downfall, illustrating the need for sustainable activation alongside rapid growth.

Each of these examples illustrates how Activation can drive not only business success, but also large-scale community engagement, cultural change, and innovation.

Activators outside the business realm

🚺 In the nonprofit sector, Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code to address the tech industry’s gender gap, activating a large-scale movement by blending education and activism. She mobilized diverse stakeholders and empowered thousands of young women to pursue careers in tech.

🏛️ In government, Cory Booker is a U.S. Senator and former mayor of Newark. Booker has been a driving force for social justice, criminal justice reform, and community engagement. He’s an example of how an Activator can mobilize resources and build coalitions across sectors to drive meaningful change at the policy level.

🧬  Bryan Johnson , founder of Kernel and Blueprint , is activating the longevity movement. His work combines cutting-edge technology, health, and innovation, pushing the boundaries of what we know about human potential. Johnson’s activation lies in his ability to rally tech innovators and scientists around a common goal — extending human life.

🌎 On the activism front, Greta Thunberg has activated millions around the globe with her climate strikes. What started as a one-person protest snowballed into a worldwide movement. Her unique value creation lay in her authenticity and youth, which she used to build a massive, engaged network demanding urgent climate action.

Why Activation, and why now?

Activators aren’t random disruptors — they are the key to driving long-term change.

In an age where industries are constantly evolving, where social movements are reshaping how we live and work, and where technology is accelerating faster than ever, the role of an Activator has never been more important.

This is the time to recognize and celebrate activation as a strategic framework that can be applied across all sectors, and Activators as the leaders who make it happen.

From boardrooms to classrooms, from the halls of government to the front lines of activism, Activators are building the future. 🔮

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