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Use Stepping Stones

Often we want improvements to work in certain way. When we let other people do it their way there is a chance that they create something that isn't perfect, hopefully it is functional, but what can we do about it?

If we have something looming in the background then we can use their offering as a stepping stone to our final solution. We may not get it 100% identical, but 97% is surely better than a lack of implementation.

Their input into their solution increases their buy in to the change. It's like the story of boiling a frog - if you do it slowly you can boil the frog, if you go too quickly the frog jumps away.

Sometimes using multiple stepping stones is needed because people may find change harder than we do. The key is finding tiny steps to take. Stepping stones can sometimes be the only option we have.

If you need to make changes but are struggling to get your team on board then consider using stepping stones to help them make their journey. This is an especially good route to take when the 'big stick' approach has failed.

Smartspeed Consulting Limited
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