Leveraging Trust and Influence
for Uncompromised Growth

Building a Guiding Coalition

A company pioneering specialized care for medically fragile children offered something transformative: improved health outcomes and peace of mind for families. Over two decades, it grew to multiple locations across the Southeast, becoming a trailblazer in its field.

As demand for its services soared, the organization faced pressure to expand rapidly without compromising quality. Scaling effectively meant not only replicating operations but also preserving the culture and informal knowledge-sharing that underpinned its success.

We partnered with the organization to identify change leaders that could help drive accelerated growth and secure sustained operations. The organization needed what Harvard’s John Kotter calls a “guiding coalition”: individuals with the trust, credibility, and influence to catalyze the transformation.

Identifying Change Leaders

Social network analysis (SNA) provided the solution by mapping the informal dynamics that traditional organizational charts overlook. It identified employees with "earned authority"—those trusted and respected by their peers—as key influencers.

SNA examines “nodes” (individuals) and their connections to reveal who colleagues turn to for advice, problem-solving, and guidance. Unlike "given authority," rooted in titles, earned authority is built on trust and credibility.

The analysis uncovered that the organization’s most trusted influencers weren’t necessarily senior leaders. Instead, they were distributed across levels, often in unexpected places, playing vital roles in connecting teams and sharing best practices. These individuals became the foundation of the guiding coalition that would lead the organization’s next phase of growth.

Strategically positioned, these change leaders supported new site launches by mentoring teams, embedding company values, and acting as conduits for sharing expertise. This approach ensured that new locations were not just operationally efficient but also culturally aligned from day one.

Accelerated Growth
with Consistent Excellence

The results were striking. By embedding change leaders in key roles, the organization doubled its locations within a few years while maintaining its high standards of care. New sites launched more seamlessly, achieving strong performance and patient outcomes from the outset.

This strategy also delivered financial benefits. Rapid integration of new locations minimized costly productivity dips, accelerating cost recovery and strengthening the organization’s financial position.

What Organizations Can Learn

The company’s success overcame a growing challenge: over 70% of transformations fail due to lack of trust and empowerment. By identifying and empowering trusted influencers through SNA, the organization sidestepped this pitfall and ensured sustainable growth. This case underscores the power of informal networks in driving change. While formal structures provide clarity, it’s the invisible threads of trust, influence, and knowledge exchange within informal networks that often determine whether strategic initiatives succeed or falter.

For organizations, identifying and empowering change leaders isn’t just about smoothing the path for growth—it’s about building a foundation for long-term success. Here’s how this approach delivers:

• Accelerating Change: Trusted influencers drive faster adoption of new initiatives, minimizing disruption and maximizing impact.

• Sustaining Culture: Scaling doesn’t have to compromise what makes your organization unique. Cultural ambassadors ensure values thrive, even during change.

• Improving Outcomes: Strategic use of earned authority aligns teams, reduces friction, and ensures consistent performance across locations or divisions.

At 3Fold Collective, we specialize in uncovering the hidden dynamics of trust and influence using tools like social network analysis. More importantly, we translate those insights into practical strategies that accelerate growth, strengthen culture, and improve your bottom line.