Quick Wins: Building Momentum — Part II

“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” ~ John Wooden

I made a mistake, but fortunately it was repairable, if I acted quickly.

I needed to change the way I was getting buy-in from the employees. I tried to solve a problem that I didn’t need to solve. I was trying to solve every problem and that was a problem.

I decided I couldn’t and shouldn’t solve all the problems. Let the team participate in the solutions. Let people’s voices be heard. You may not do what they say, but they feel that you have listened to them.

I needed the team to stop seeing themselves as disadvantaged employees, left out of the bigger picture and start seeing themselves as a great team.

My thinking had to change first.

Their uniforms were outdated, worn out, and miserable to work in when outdoors. When I ignored what mattered to them, I was sending a clear message: this problem doesn’t matter.

 So instead of ignoring it or solving it my way, I asked myself how can this be a win for us?

Over the next few weeks, I ran three short team huddles to get their input and complaints. Everyone had a problem — and an opinion on the solution. It was bit messy at times. Together we landed on a plan that stayed within budget, made us all feel good, and — most importantly, created ownership.

We often hear it said that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now. Most likely someone should have planted something in your organization, but they didn’t. Now is your time to plant something special and create deeper ownership. 

Quick wins build the kind of momentum that starts making positive changes. Mistaken for strategy, they’re just activity.

Win the day – plant a tree.

~Jeff