When is the time for big change?

​Colleagues,
 
I’m a big advocate of incremental change because it allows us to apply the four principles of leverage. Incremental change is faster (0>1), simpler (MVP), requires less effort (M=V/E), and brings faster results (A-B). 
 
However, sometimes it doesn’t make sense to go from A-B, so how do we decide when to engage in a big change effort?
 
Pam and I moved into our house over 16 years ago and the carpet needed replacing then. However, with four kids we chose to invest our money and time in other things, so the faded worn green carpet endured to the point that today it is spotted, frayed, and multi-colored. This week, we are getting new wood floors, and instead of doing one room at a time (incremental), we have decided to do the entire upstairs (big change).
 
Why did we choose big change over an incremental approach?

• The new wood floors should endure the rest of our lifetime, so we only have to do this once.
• We have the resources.
• Our people are ready and can handle the disruption.
• Things that were a higher priority have already been done.
• It will increase the value of our organization (house).

 
In addition, the wood floors, and the trim that I will install later, will bring this house closer to our aesthetic. In a way, the house will be better suited to our purpose.
 
Big change is rarely the answer because organizations rarely have all of these bullet points. But what if your organization is so disrupted that you must engage in big change? We’ll look at that question tomorrow.
 
Do good and be well,
 
Frederick