Harnessing the Force of Gradual Progression
Transformin' biz, eh? Who needs a big, scary overhaul when incremental changes can do the trick? Check out Roosevelt, preservin' 230 million acres one three-acre plot at a time for the National Park Service. That, my friends, is what we call momentum.
Incremental momentum ain't just a pretty phrase. Companies across the globe have been using it to drive change without breaking the bank or leaving their employees high and dry. Take the Finnish Government, for example. They offered a tool that let folks calculate their carbon footprint. Did it make a difference? You bet your carbon offsets it did. Once people understood their impact on the environment, they started makin' small, voluntary changes to reduce their footprint.
SAP, the German software giant, is another example. They saw their competitors snatchin' market share by offerin' cloud-based solutions, and decided they needed a piece of that action. Instead of goin' all-in on the cloud, they started small and smart, buildin' cloud solutions for small businesses and acquirin' smaller cloud-based suppliers. Today, over 34% of their global revenue comes from the cloud – yessir, that's some serious growth!
So, what's the takeaway here? Incremental change is the way to go. It's less risky, less disruptive, and the perfect blend of continuous improvement and cultural transformation. It's a proven method that lets you test the waters, adapt on the fly, and build momentum for change over time.
Oh, and one more thing. Listen up, leaders, 'cause this is important. Inkovation, disruptin', go ahead and make yourselves heard – but remember, sometimes a little change is all it takes.
Sources:
- "Top trends in change management for 2022: Research shows top-performers are combining change management and agile," Prosci, https://www.prosci.com/top-trends-in-change-management
- "The Power of Incremental Momentum," Brad Borkan, SnB 2022/12
- "7 Ways to Use Lean Thinking to Engage Employees for Continuous Improvement," IndustryWeek, https://www.industryweek.com/leadership/7-ways-to-use-lean-thinking-to-engage-employees-for-continuous-improvement
- "Continuous improvement defined," ASQ, https://www.asq.org/quality-resources/continuous-improvement-defined
- "Microsoft's Recent Turnaround: What We Can Learn From Its Transformation," Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/03/30/microsofts-recent-turnaround-what-we-can-learn-from-its-transformation/
Finance leaders can leverage incremental momentum to drive business change, as demonstrated by the Finnish Government's carbon footprint tool and SAP's strategic cloud-based solutions approach, which both promoted continuous improvement and cultural transformation, reducing risks and disruptions while building momentum for change over time.
