As Americans, we are absolutely addicted to break through anything. The notion of kaizen or 2% improvement is something that we just as soon let someone else be managed by. Flat out, what we’re looking for, is leap frog transformation. But as I work with leaders, increasingly what I’m seeing is a fierce commitment to acting small, starting small, breaking into small teams of four to seven people, to embrace and practice rapid fire iterative revolution. Now don’t get me wrong, they are not calling it that, but regardless, what they’re doing is revolutionary.

This is counter to the typical approach of “ready,” “aim,” “aim!” You know what I mean, we are always getting ready, we are always seeming to be aiming, and my experience is break through innovation (some call it disruptive change) demands the marketization of our generative ideas. Put it out on the table! Get it into the hands of end users! Let the customer/client handle the product, play with the beta, become a collaborative partner in building the next best mousetrap, see what those closest to us think. . .I mean real transparent honesty.

What I’m hearing in the trenches…places where we spend the majority of our days/can we say “life…” is that we need to face it, we’ve been guessing wrong about the future most of the time. Whether it’s Harry Warner, founder of Warner Bros. studio, saying “who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” commenting on talking movies or, Thomas Watson, former chairman of IBM, state “I think there is a world market for about five computers,” and present-day versions that pushback against the 80’s notion of high tech, high touch (you know. . .the more high tech the greater the demand will be for high human touch) when we look at the effect of Face Book in kids spending hours interacting with other individuals from anywhere in the world building what they call community…and trying to guess about what will be in the future, it’s just that, a GUESS. So what are we to do but embrace the brilliance of multiple small starts. Experiment! Target small victories! Orient toward small markets! Unleash unbridled passion to systematically knockoff present profitable products and services to purposefully create the demand for “next.” Hey! Let’s not forget to contextualize this in our personal lives. We don’t have to shave off 40 pounds today, finish the degree next week, or “save” the relationship in one conversation. Rapid fire/iterative progression! Just get it out and begin to practice multiple small starts. The opportunity is CONSTANT!