Apply the 1% rule to your team.

Help your team to move one step at a time and achieve better results.

Enhancing team performance in a mature environment can be challenging. Teams may follow all the prescribed meetings and processes yet struggle to address minor issues effectively. This often stems from not knowing which issues to tackle first or how to approach them, particularly when the team falls into a cycle of wishful thinking during problem discussions.

The Power of the 1% Rule

“The big leaps will never happen if we don’t get used to taking the small ones.” — Tommy Baker

What if you could improve various aspects of your team's performance by just 1% each day? It might sound minor, but the compounding effect over time can be transformative. Committing to this 1% improvement daily sets you on a path of steady, sustainable growth. If you manage to improve by 1% daily for a year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the end of it. This principle holds true for teams as well; a small daily enhancement in processes can lead to significant long-term gains.

Addressing Unmeasurable Factors

Small changes can significantly impact hard-to-measure aspects like culture, mood, and collaboration. While I can't back this up with hard data, I've observed numerous instances where a single person’s change in attitude has triggered a cascade of positive changes across the entire team.

Another Approach: Wait and Do Nothing

“To lose patience is to lose the battle.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Humans are emotional beings, influenced by daily events—from a casual comment by a neighbor to news that sets the tone for the day. This emotional reactivity can spill over into team dynamics, particularly after stressful meetings or unsettling updates. Here, the 'availability heuristic' comes into play. This mental shortcut emphasizes information that is most readily available, often recent or emotionally charged, which might not accurately represent the most significant issues at hand.

Utilizing Waiting Time

It’s crucial to let the dust settle before making decisions. Allowing time for events to sink in helps the team gain perspective. Often, issues that initially seem critical may have minimal impact on key metrics like cycle time and throughput. A reflective pause can reveal that these issues, while initially compelling, do not necessitate immediate action.

Cognitive Capacity: Less is More

“Overloading attention shrinks mental control.” — Daniel Goleman

Our cognitive load—the mental effort required to process information and perform tasks—is limited. When we overload ourselves with multiple action points on top of our regular responsibilities, we dilute our effectiveness. Focusing on just one actionable change at a time can prevent cognitive overload and lead to more significant improvements.

When do we apply the 1% rule in the team?

In this newsletter, I'll explore ways to streamline processes and tactics. We'll look at typical scenarios in your team and apply straightforward, focused methods to enhance outcomes.

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