CHAPTER 6Experiment
Little changes limit disruption and allow people to learn.
BIG CHANGES ARE OFTEN PERCEIVED AS THREATS. BIG CHANGES are also big bets. The greater the scale, the more that’s at stake and the greater the chance of business disruption. Even with a good idea, forethought, and planning, there’s always a chance that things won’t work as hoped. This reality can be summed up in a tweet: “No matter how detailed the plan, it cannot make the uncertain certain.”1 Even when a change doesn’t encompass thousands of people, disruption can be severe. So, think small—really small. Working small on influencing factors is often the only way to make progress on big problems.
I visited Rollo shortly after Jazmin, the vice president of engineering, ...
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