How The Power of Small Changes Lead to Big Results

Written by: Stephanie Burford, PHR, M.S., HR Manager at Advisor HR

Being a leader requires hard work, dedication, and consistent challenges. In today’s society, we live in a fast-paced environment constantly challenged to stay competitive while working to retain and engage employees. It is a common misconception that leadership is a visible status: the result of making big decisions, having a high title, managing change, or being part of transformative moments. The truth is, being a leader is not just about the end results and what people see. It’s the power of small changes – the act of pulling a single sheet off a paper towel roll.

Picture a fresh paper towel roll. It looks infinite. When needed for cleaning, a sheet is taken. When needed to clean up a mess, another sheet is taken, when needed for dinner, another sheet is taken. Then, overtime, the infinite paper towel roll is just about empty and ready to be replaced with a fresh one. This change did not happen overnight - it was not dramatic, or sudden. It was simply the result of consistent, small actions over time that led to an empty paper towel roll.

This analogy carries insightful lessons for leaders striving to create long-term, lasting results in both their personal and professional life. In leadership and in life, it’s the small actions that add up to big results. However, leaders must understand their intent and goals. To improve employee engagement, it may be a conversation that builds trust, recognizing employees or saying thank you, or providing more constructive feedback. To improve productivity, it may be multiple small changes in a process or processes. Just like taking a sheet from the paper towel roll, in the moment, these actions seem small, minor, maybe even irrelevant. But over time these small changes compound to create a culture, drive processes, and inspire transformation. The results become undeniable.

Leadership thrives on small, consistent efforts, but the overall impact is profound.

By adopting this mindset, leaders can:

1.        Focus on Consistency: Prioritize small, daily actions that align with goals and the company’s bottom line.

2.        Celebrate Progress over Perfection: Acknowledge and appreciate the small wins that build up to continue to larger successes.

3.        Trust the Process: This is not an overnight success. It takes time and patience.

The power of small changes is remarkable. Like a paper towel roll, efforts may not show immediate results, but over time, each small action – each single sheet – will prove to be worth it. 

Advisor HR offers a robust platform and here to help you create a culture, drive processes, and inspire transformation. If you have any questions or need guidance – Advisor HR is here to help!