The Incremental 1%
In April, I reposted a blog post that my spouse, Janine, wrote about the concept of active recovery and how it can lead to heightened creativity, ideas, and solutions. During my own active recovery practice on a morning hike, I experienced this real time and was reminded of a concept that has served me well in the past as a pilot, business leader, husband, and father: the importance of a “1%” incremental gain.
The day was cloudless and the sun was high in the sky. Midway through the hike, I paused to observe a stream that crossed my path, and I noticed that a small tree branch was casting my face into the shade. The branch was a mere few feet away but it was blocking a ray of light that had traveled over 93-million miles from reaching my face. It was impeding - without intention - the remarkable journey of this source of energy.
What I was experiencing is a metaphor (perhaps obvious) for how a seemingly small barrier can easily inhibit a team’s ability to achieve a goal. The smallest of obstacles, especially when unexpected, over the longest of journeys can often be the difference between achieving the goal - or not. The difference between potential fulfilled - or not.
This moment illustrates the significant impact that an incremental “1%” correction - taking the smallest of steps forward - can have on a desired outcome. In this example the obstruction was visible; it was obvious. By making a correction that is practically imperceptible relative to the entire journey of the photons, I was able to receive the light on my face and change what in this case was a binary outcome.
In the context of business within fast-change, high-growth organizations or our careers in pursuit of personal and professional aspirations it is obviously much harder to proactively identify and adjust for these obstructions. The outcomes are rarely, if ever, binary. The diagnosis not only is less clear, but often in our blindspots as leaders and people, and sometimes collectively as a team.
When we see and identify what is standing in the way, with focus on our own position (not cutting down the tree) we can use that awareness to make the adjustments that best allow us to reach our goals.
As leaders, we need to be searching for and learning from those areas in which that incremental “1%” change can be used to identify emerging patterns. I can assure you that the resultant learning that will compound over time, lead to team cohesion instead of divergence, and create momentum that can ultimately become a competitive advantage.
In the short, I would urge you to reflect on three ideas:
Have you established a practice and culture in which team members constantly seek to identify those small gaps?
Where do you believe that 1% difference exists within your organization and your performance?
What design and support do you have in place for yourself and your team to successfully accomplish what I describe above?
As always, we’re here to help you process, reflect, and engage if you’d find it helpful.
