Last summer I wrote about my concerns about how David Cameron was leading his Big Society project – see more here – and arguing that he was setting it up for failure. Recent reports – see here – suggest that these problems are now multiplying.
Like any new change programme, Mr Cameron must focus on results, not exhortations. He will be far better off creating some tangible wins, even if they are through relatively small projects, than he is by writing policies, making speeches and doing media interviews.
The simple truth about change is that people believe what they see and experience, not what they read or hear. Mr Cameron must bring his idea alive through results, and he needs to do it quickly.
It is the same for you and your business. Don’t talk about change all the time, do it. Take a small, focused area of your organisation and create a massive improvement that you can show to others. Your success here will generate far more interest and greater commitment to your bigger plans.
If you want big change (or even a big society), the paradox is that you must start small and act fast. It is your actions and results that will create momentum, not your words and ideas.
© Stuart Cross 2011. All rights reserved.