Try Something New

Many people think: “If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we’ll keep getting the same results.”

And this is true… if the rest of the system stays unchanging, too. But we live and work in a complex system in which economic, political, technical, climate, and social changes continue to occur. If we don’t anticipate and adapt, our team could be left behind.

So, what to do? The volume of options and the fear of being wrong can keep us paralyzed.

I recommend a simple solution: try new things in small doses. Green-light a pilot program. Start a change in software or process with a small group first. Encourage the person advocating for the new option to be the first to adopt it, to work out any potential glitches.

If the new thing works well, do it more. If the new thing does not work well, update the process and try again, or try something different. Not everything will work out, but the benefits of adaptation to an ever-changing world usually outweigh the cost of any false starts.

(image source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/leaders-x_heres-a-hard-truth-most-people-avoid-credit-activity-7417286901998592000-HUEs?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAALCunsB6D2XmMa8_rKOfe9jaflVMITDKxk)