Defining Big Ideas by Going Small

I have had great ideas and I have had them fail because I didn’t do the most important thing - start small…..

Yes, your idea will change everything but it’s destined to fail.

Not trying to sound pessimistic here, but if you don’t know where to start, you’ll never know how to finish.

How does this effect you? Well…. Most people are shooting for success but to get it you have to have a defining trophy that gives you leverage in conversations with your stakeholders. This may be changing the way the business thinks about the status quo but did you know that 44% of projects fail simply because people want what they already know?

So here you are, about to climb Mount Everest, trying to convince everyone to adopt the amazing new tech or strategy you KNOW will change the game. SOOOO, what do you do?

1. Start Small

   You want to win right? Okay, then pick the smallest part of your vision, in order to tie your shoes you must first put on your socks.
   
   Find that thing that even your CEO goes to bed thinking about every night…. Is it the cost of materials? Cost of man power? Timeframe for projects? Revenue projections? Paying the new intern? if you find this you have found the fastest value driven project for the business.
   
   However this might be harder than it sounds. Which leads us to…

2. Find the Common Thread

   What’s that thing everyone in your company keeps talking about but can’t quite define? Maybe it’s something you hear in every meeting but never see addressed. Maybe it’s in the boss’s Monday speech or the subtle frustrations from customers.
   

   Here’s the trick: find that underlying problem everyone knows is there but no one has put their finger on. It’s right in front of you. Listen. Reflect. Don’t react. Once you’ve identified it, you can start working backward toward a solution.
   You must find the underlying problem that people know exist but the solution has yet to be found.

3. Why Does the Problem Exist?
   Now that you’ve found the problem, it’s time to dig deeper. Why does it exist? Too often, people fail to map out the complex decision tree that gets them to the problem’s root. Is it the cost of goods? Are we leaning too hard on negotiations without exploring all the options?

   Go back to first principles. Are we really doing all we can? Maybe the answer lies in more supplier conversations or a broader market view. Once you find the root, you can start figuring out the simplest first step toward solving it.

4. Whats the Easiest Fix?

   Yes, the big idea will solve your problem but….it won’t… not right now.
   
   Focus on simple step of the root of the problem. Lets go back to cost of goods -if the problem is having more conversations with more suppliers. Then ask yourself, “How do I increase my conversations?” “How do I get a true market price for my goods?”
   
   With this information, you can negotiate better, ensure the best price and you can show the decision makers the value on a small scale.
   
   "Hey, look—I’ve found a way to save $1.5 million on just this single product line by negotiating better. Now imagine if we did this across all 1,500 product lines. I’ve got a plan."

5. Don’t Forget Time to Value
   Here’s the kicker: the faster you show value, the more time you’ll earn to work on the bigger stuff. If your project hits a snag, but you’ve already delivered a quick win, decision-makers will cling to that early success while you tackle the tougher challenges.

   
   So, remember—start small, show fast time to value, and pave the way for your bigger vision to shine.