- Eric D. Brown, D.Sc.
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- Balancing Innovation and Progress
Balancing Innovation and Progress
In the rush to implement transformative technology, organizations often overlook the power of incremental improvements. Here's how to find the right balance between revolutionary changes and evolutionary progress.
Eric Brown
January 16, 2025
The allure of transformative technology initiatives is powerful. As a senior leader, you're constantly bombarded with the "next big thing" that promises to revolutionize your business. AI, blockchain, and digital transformation are buzzword-worthy technologies that promise to take your organization from ‘here’ to ‘there’ overnight.
Chasing these big ideas often leads to organizational paralysis. While your teams are focused on implementing that game-changing AI system or completing a digital overhaul, crucial smaller initiatives get pushed aside. These "minor" projects, which could deliver immediate value and build momentum, gather dust while everyone chases the big win.
Why This Matters Now
The pressure to make large technological leaps is intense in today. However, successful digital transformation isn't about massive, overnight changes. It's about consistent, incremental progress that adds up to substantial results.
Actionable Steps for Leaders
Audit Your Project Portfolio
List all your current tech initiatives
Identify quick wins that have been sidelined
Evaluate the resource allocation between "big" and "small" projects
Implement the "80/20" Rule for Tech Projects
Dedicate 80% of resources to core improvements and immediate wins
Reserve 20% for innovative, larger-scale initiatives
Review this balance quarterly
Create a "Quick Wins" Pipeline
Maintain a running list of smaller, high-impact tech improvements
Set 30, 60, and 90-day goals for these initiatives
Celebrate these accomplishments to build momentum
Bottom Line
While pursuing transformative tech initiatives is essential, don't let them overshadow the power of incremental improvements. The most successful digital transformations I've witnessed weren't built on single, massive changes; they were built on a foundation of consistent, smaller wins that created momentum for more significant changes.
Sometimes, the fastest path to major transformation is through well-executed smaller steps.
What's your experience with balancing big tech initiatives and smaller improvements?
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