Fredrick the Great of Prussia, in 18th century, was very keen for the Germans to adopt potato to eat it. Because he realised if you had two source of carbohydrate, wheat and potatoes, you will get less price volatility in market. Even Germans will have two back to back crops.
The problem was very few Scottish were eating vegetables. The Prussian community said” We can’t even get the dogs to eat these damn things. They are disgusting things and absolutely good for nothing. There are even records of people executed for not growing potato.
So he tried plan B. he declared potato as royal vegetable, and none but royal family could consume it. And he planted it in a royal potato patch, with guards who had instructions to guard over it, night and day, but secret instruction was not to guard it very well. 18th Century people know that there is one rule in life, which is if something is worth guarding, it is worth stealing. Soon, there was massive underground potato farming developed. Even today, people donate potato on grave on Fredrick the Great.
Lateral thinkers drive change by different means. They increase the intrinsic value of the idea/product they want to propagate or vice versa. Mustafa Ataturk was founder of Turkish republic. He was very keen of discouraging the wearing of veil in Turkey to modernise it. Average leader will simply ban it. But he was a lateral thinker. He made it compulsory for prostitutes to wear the veil.
In above two examples lateral thinkers increased or decreased the intrinsic value of the products. It drives change. Countries can learn from it. By rewarding good values, honesty, and transparency, they can drive change. Just words won’t work. Intentions find ways.
In organization, if we ruthlessly rewards commitment, loyalty and values. Then only things may move. Just mere lecture, posters, or events won’t help much. Lateral thinking is needed. Bell curves are outdated. People drives organizational changes or ideas.