The Power of Incremental Changes: How Small Changes Can Yield Big Results
Change is always possible. And it is necessary. As we go forward in all arenas of our life, growth and change is not only inevitable, it should be the goal. As we grow, we evolve, and in this way, change is one of the key markers of progress.
Step by step, day by day—this is how you make lasting, sustainable changes to your life and business. Today, we are discussing the power of incremental change as we explore how small changes can yield big results.
When it comes to reaching your goals and setting change into motion, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. Big changes don’t happen overnight, and the power to create change stems from our ability to sustain those changes over time. This is where the process of incremental change comes in.
What is incremental change?
Incremental change is a process of making small, systematic changes over time. These changes are typically gradual adjustments to an existing frameworking - be it lifestyle routine or business model, incremental change can be adopted in all scenarios and at all levels for sustainable change.
Businesses in particular benefit greatly from incremental change systems. This is because the incremental process involves palettable shifts to an existing structure, making them less disruptive to the status quo and offer a lower-risk to those enforcing the changes. The lower-risk is a result of there being less drastic, sudden changes to evaluate, and instead, smaller and more bracketed shifts which can be analysed more easily for feedback and results.
Here are a few key characteristics of incremental change:
Incremental change is gradual - it is comprised of a series of smaller steps, versus radical, large changes
Incremental change is continuous - it is a constant, ongoing process aimed at making sustainable improvements
Incremental change is a low-risk strategy when compared to radical change
Incremental change builds on existing processes to modify or add on with some new value - with this process, you are not “reinventing the wheel”, you are making modifications to the existing model
How to implement incremental change
Implementing incremental change is easier thank you think!
Here are some strategies and tips for putting incremental change into motion:
Begin by establishing small and specific goals - this will make it easier to create manageable, actionable steps that will yield results in a shorter time frame
Track your progress as you go in order to celebrate the small wins along the way and keep yourself accountable and motivated
Just begin! Once you have clear goals and clear, smaller steps, go ahead and take that first step!
When to implement incremental change
Incremental change is appropriate in many situations. Here are a few examples of when this change system can have maximum impact:
Improving the profitability of your business
Making improvements to the existing business processes and workflows with minimal disruption
Making modifications to the current organizational culture
Benefits of incremental change
Incremental change holds many benefits. A few examples of such benefits include:
Helping organizations to keep their employees motivated and maintain steady momentum without overwhelming employees with drastic changes that might negatively disrupt the status quo
Incremental change is gradual, meaning less shock and disruption to your routine
Gradual change means more opportunity to evaluate the results and gather specific feedback over time
Incremental change versus radical change
Incremental change involves small, gradual change, whereas radical change takes a larger-scale, more drastic approach.
Some examples of incremental change versus radical change:
Incremental change would be an individual gradually adjusting their run distance and run time as they work their way towards a higher marathon level. A radical change would be for an individual who typically participates in short-distance sprinting to change over to a long-distance marathon style of running.
Incremental change would be for a governing body to make gradual improvements to their existing system. Radical change would involve a governing body creating a new system altogether for immediate implementation.
How to make incremental changes stick
Incremental change, like any kind of shift, takes time and consistency. If you are motivated and your goals are clear, you will be successful in making these changes stick.
Be patient with your goals and new changes as nothing ever happens overnight. The goal should be to establish sustainable changes, not immediate ones. Rest assured, with consistency and ongoing goal-tracking to stay accountable and track your progress, your newly-implemented incremental changes will soon yield your desired results.
Ultimately, whatever your approach to making and implementing change, the key component comes down to you. Your motivation, patience, and consistency will be what makes the difference.
You’ve got this - one step at a time!