Inspiring Content for Innovators

In this episode, Nancy Murphy, the Founder & President of CSR Communications, talks to us about what an intrepreneur is, how we can disrupt and make impactful change within organizations and established systems, and swaying change-resistant powers.

Nancy has spent her career saying what others are afraid to – and learning to say it in ways that others will listen. She’s the founder and president of CSR Communications and creator of Intrapreneurs Influence Lab. Her passion is helping leaders of change within established organizations (intrapreneurs) influence and persuade others so that they can realize their vision for change faster, with less frustration and resistance.

Nancy mentors and advises executives from local governments, federal agencies, global nonprofits, foundations, and Fortune 100 companies. As a trainer and speaker, Nancy has shared her expertise from Kuala Lumpur to Kansas City and London to Las Vegas. Nancy holds a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School, a master’s in health communication from Boston University, and a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from the University of Dayton.

[00:16] What is an Intrepreneur?

Intrepreneurs are like entrepreneurs but they're innovating inside of a large established legacy, organization, or system. Rather than taking those skills and that mindset outside of an organization, they're disrupting from within
How can the unsung heroes of organizational change feel more like intrepreneurs and not troublemakers?
- Why we need more entrepreneurs in the world
- Why it doesn’t have to be hard

[04:16] Affecting the Change We Want to See

How can someone make major changes in an organization?
- This is a process that is not for the faint of heart. Have to be a little thick-skinned and willing to be told our idea is silly or not going to work more than once and get back
- Start by asking, “How can I help you get what you need?” And pay attention to the needs of the people you’re trying to influence
- Position your idea as something that will help them get what they need
- Change your agenda to fulfilling the potential of the company rather than being focused on your personal potential
Focus on the one things you can control

[09:36] How We Can Work With Leaders Who Seem Overly Resistant to Change

Remember: the one thing you can control, when it comes to resistance, is how you view resistance. Resistance can be used to make us stronger
3 common types of resistance
- The What If-ers: Play to their strengths. Invite them to do scenario planning for change
- The Status Quo Defenders: Invite them to identify those things about the status quo that we want to preserve and protect as we move forward
- The Yes-No-ers: Is that Yes and then No due to a lack of will or a lack of way? How do you make it okay for them to articulate what it is they might need to adopt a new way of working

[16:59] The Intrepreneur's Influence Lab

Nancy launched The Intrepreneur's Influence Lab in 2018 as the culmination of being an intrepreneur herself and all the lessons that learned along the way
She created it to bring together those lessons and create a community and a space where you can connect with fellow intrapreneurs
She walks people through the key components of how to be a credible leader of change, how to overcome resistance, how to communicate more effectively, how to map the influence and power centers in your organization, and how to manage transitions once you're in the middle of change

[21:23] Final Words

Nancy’s final thoughts
- If you are an intrapreneur, you're the unsung hero of change in your organization
Connect with Nancy! Links and resources below

Key Quotes:

“For many entrepreneurs, their impact is small at first, and it may never grow. But what if we could leverage the scope, the scale, the resources, the reach, the financial stability, the talent, the expertise of these large organizations that are already there? What if we could just get them to operate more innovatively with more respect and embracing of diversity and inclusion, with better equity, more environmental sustainability, and social responsibility? If we can do that, we are going to get the world we want much faster.” - Nancy Murphy

“The one thing you can control when it comes to resistance is how you view resistance.” - Nancy Murphy

“That's what this lab is designed to do, over the course of six months, walk people through the key components of how to be a credible leader of change, how to overcome resistance, how to communicate more effectively, how to map the influence and power centers in your organization, and how to manage transitions once you're in the middle of change.” - Nancy Murphy

Connect with Nancy

Visit www.csrcommunications.com and sign up with Nancy’s newsletter to get exclusive and valuable resources.

Connect with Nancy on LinkedIn

Today's SPONSORSHIP is brought to you by Territory Global. You can connect with us on Instagram, and Twitter or visit our website territory.co Join the work forward movement!

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone empower their businesses through collaboration, innovation, and transformation by sharing this episode or click here to listen to our previous episodes.

These are proven solutions to advance your innovation process. Check out our website innovationmeetsleadership.com or connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Let’s go transform something!

Season 2, Episode 26. Intrapreneurs with Nancy Murphy