Quality or Speed – which wins in creating sustainable organizational change?

“People forget how fast you did a job, but they remember how well you did it.” Howard W. Newton

I think this is an interesting idea to think about when applied to organizational change, where speed does factor into the equation a bit.

You do need to establish a sense of urgency to create large and small wins and to gain momentum. According to John Kotter and his Eight Steps to Transforming Your Organization, “A higher rate of urgency does not imply ever present panic, anxiety, or fear. It means a state in which complacency is virtually absent.” Again, the balancing act between the art and science of change rings presents its interesting face!

APPLICATION: What is the most effective balance of quality and speed that you need to apply for your current organization change (or situation)? Factors to consider include:

• The nature of the change
• The timing of the change
• The scope of the change
• The expected impact of the change.

Good luck. Have fun. And, no matter what, the quality of your work will always be remembered, so deliver high quality!