Often, the hardest part of continuous improvement is acknowledging what’s not working and letting it go.
Often, the hardest part of continuous (or even occasional) improvement is acknowledging what’s not working and letting it go.
But this is something that we MUST do because it’s only in letting go that we make space for something better – preferably something that’ll knock our socks off!
Read below for a few Q&As that will hopefully help pry your fingers off of that old, dead, outdated solution and make the prospect of letting go to gain something new a little easier.
When we acknowledge that something isn’t working well, it’s normal to feel regret or shame that you chose that thing in the first place. It feels somehow that acknowledging it’s not working means admitting we were wrong before. But that’s not true. Just because it’s not working now doesn’t mean it never did. It’s important to remember that we all usually make the very best choices we can with the time, resources, and information we have.
This is a tough one. Even when something isn’t working, there are often parts of it that still are! Knowing when to make the call to let go can sometimes require a thorough and honest evaluation of the cost/benefit. Often, the cost of time and resources administering programs that aren’t adding value is enough to make the call.
Change fatigue is real. For every change that you sponsor on behalf of your organization, there is an expectation from employees that the change will be worth it and benefit them or others in a clear, measurable way. If you’ve used your credits sponsoring programs that haven’t had clear returns or if you haven’t shared those with employees – asking now for a change to let go of what people have spent energy to build will be difficult.
Something is better than nothing, right!? The cost of standing up the wrong solution or one that isn’t creating significant impacts is heavy – both from an emotional and resource perspective. Once you understand what’s not working, the likelihood of not finding a better solution is low. Worst-case scenario – it takes a moment. And if so, how could you most effectively use the surplus of time and resources from stopping the inefficient process in the meantime?
You have a finite amount of time, energy, and resources. When you continue to add processes to improve outcomes without removing ineffective ones, you create overwhelm and confusion about how to prioritize work and time. However, when you evaluate your business for what’s not working with a willingness to let go – you have the opportunity to create more space, time, clarity, and opportunity to focus on what’s most important.
I guarantee you have better information now than you did, even with the implementation of your newest system. Now you know how it works in the wild – how people actually use it, whether it’s providing the outcomes or impact you were hoping for, gaps in skill, technology, or communication that you would be sure to address next time. The moment you begin to implement anything new, you are wiser than before and will make decisions from this new perspective. Imagine how true this is with your most outdated, ineffective processes.
Spending more time and energy on something that’s not working for you will not make it better. It will only put you into greater debt, as those resources won’t be applied to the things that can move your business forward.
What if I told you that you could improve your performance, resilience, and culture, all while spending less time on these things than you are now? You’d be wiggling your mouse, trying to find the sign-up link! Co-creation with employees is the way of the future for businesses that want these outcomes. Leverage employees to help you seek, brainstorm, implement, and test new solutions. They want to do it.
What is the cost of NOT letting go? How much time, energy, resources, and productivity are you willing to spend not to get the results that you want? What will that look like a year from now? 5 years from now?
Okay, I know this plays off the last one – but really do it! For example, managers spend an average of 210 hours per year on annual performance reviews. Just for this one scenario, calculating the cost/benefit of time, money, and impact could likely motivate you to move in a different direction.
What are the things you don’t have today that you dream of achieving with a new solution? Make a list – be specific – and share it with others in your organization to add or get feedback. Just this simple act of beginning to focus on what you want, along with getting input from others, can help you be clear about what you need at all functional levels across your organization and can be motivating for everyone
Too often, employees feel that processes inhibit or restrain their ability to be productive and do their best work. When you engage employees in process improvement or finding new solutions, you will begin to see your old solutions from a new perspective. As you work together, you’ll be amazed by what employees contribute and the potential for what you can co-create.
