One of the traps for the less experienced improvement scientist is to take on a project that is too ambitious, too early.
The success with a “small” project will attract the attention of those with an eye on a bigger prize and it is easy to be wooed by the Siren call to sail closer to their Rocks.
This is a significant danger and a warning flag needs to be waved.
Organisations can only take on these bigger challenges after they have developed enough improvement capability themselves … and that takes time and effort. It is not a quick fix.
And it makes no difference how much money is thrown at the problem. The requirement is for the leaders to learn how to do it first and that does not take long to do … but it does require some engagement and effort.
And this is difficult for busy people to do …but it is not impossible.
The questions that need to be asked repeatedly are:
1. Is this important enough to dedicate some time to? If not then do not start.
2. What can I do in the time I can dedicate to this? Delegation is abdication when it comes to improvement.
Those who take on too big a project too early will find it is like being chained to a massive weight … and it gets heavier over time as others add their problems to your heap in the belief that delegating a problem is the same as solving it. It isn’t.
So if your inner voice says “This feels too big for me” then listen to it and ask it what specifically is creating that feeling … work backwards from the feeling. And only after you have identified the root causes can you make a rational decision.
Then make the decision and stick to it … explaining your reasons.