Death By (Slow)
Improvement
Beware "incrementalism.” Wikipedia describes the concept as “a method of working by adding to a project
using many small (often unplanned) changes instead of a few (extensively
planned) large jumps.” A similar
example would be making subtle improvements to a service, program, or
company—while the world goes on changing around us—or by us.
In Good To Great, the first chapter of Jim Collins’
unequaled business book is titled “Good Is The Enemy of Great.” Why fiddle with it if it’s not
broke—right?
Wrong! “Incrementalism” can be the death of innovation, and
at the very least—slow down innovation to the point of insignificance. And when businesses take a string of very
small, for the most part insignificant
steps unto themselves—and slowly marches along—the business itself can be
left vulnerable to a competitor, supplier, or and entire industry
“leap-frogging” over the top of them and leaving them behind.
For instance, in the building products wholesale
distribution industry, I often suggest that "rule changing" behavior is
needed that leaps ahead in huge bounds. Instead of an exclusive focus on
slight improvements—such as order fill rates, accuracy, and customer
services—distributors should be evaluating “reinventing” what they offer and
what it is they do.
They might instead consider offering private labeling, job
site delivery, job site installation and repair, and special warranty
considerations that guarantee replacement value no matter what.
Now THOSE are the type of offerings that just might be
considered leap-frogging.
And keep a company out of the pot of boiling water.
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