Improvement takes time

What you do today to try and improve your life will only show up as a result in the tomorrows still to come.

Unfortunately (as much as we would want it to be different in our push-button world) there is no immediate cause and effect when it comes to improvement in individuals, organisations and other social systems. Delay and lag are an appreciable part of process.

This is why planning, careful design and a generous dose of faith are required if a programme is to be undertaken.

If you are to be successful in your desire for better, the most important ingredients are time, patience and consistency of action.

A good example of this is body building.

You don't just lift heavy weights once and magically transform into Hulk Hogan. Everybody knows that building muscle successfully, takes many, many visits to the gym and a dedicated program of weight training.  

You need to commit yourself - mentally and physically - to the practice every single day.

At first - for months maybe - you might not notice any kind of improvement when you look in the mirror - it will feel like you efforts wasted, but with time and consistency the right results will undoubtedly come.

The same simple principles apply to an organisation that wants to get better.

Spectacular results don't come from one single strategy workshop at the beginning at the year. Change and improvement take time and commitment to a process that is deliberate, designed and regular.

Understandably this is exactly why strategic initiates are so difficult to implement. Business is all about quick results, time is limited and impact needs to be immediately measurable.

If not, projects are labelled ineffective and rejected.

Real improvement is neglected in favour of whatever 'guaranteed immediate success' initiative ticks the urgency box - and the whole charade starts again.

Building a better organisation takes time and a commitment to the process; it's slow and requires faith.