Small Things, Disproportionate Impact

First, a tale of two tweaks...

Tweak #1:

I’ve been learning how to play golf.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend encouraged me to shift my left foot a couple of centimetres to my right - so it was almost in line with the ball as I went to tee off.

That 2-centimetre shift made a massive difference (for the better!). The ball carried so much further, and so much straighter.

Tweak #2:

I was cooking a risotto. Chicken and mushroom, if you don’t mind.

I thought it tasted pretty good - until my guest suggested I stir a tiny bit of grated lemon zest through the risotto just before serving.

I did - and the dish tasted about 200% better.

That tiny scraping of lemon skin was punching way above its weight!

Small Things. Disproportionate Impact

I reckon these two examples are a great reminder that often, the greatest progress comes from tiny, smart adjustments - little things that seem almost too insignificant to matter in the scheme of things, but that end up mattering most.

In sport, they call them the "1 percenters" - the little things that don’t make headlines, and probably go unnoticed by most of us. But over time, they separate good from great.

Not sweeping change. Not heroics.

Just focused, deliberate tweaks that compound over time.

Leadership is exactly the same.

It’s tempting to think that making a real difference requires the boldest strategies, the newest theories, the smartest insights, the grandest gestures.

Sure, sometimes those things are powerful.

But so often, the real impact comes from much smaller moves:

• Asking someone how they are feeling
• Offering to buy someone a coffee
• Taking an extra two minutes to really listen
• Turning off your phone first
• Telling someone what you’re really appreciating about their contribution
• Taking the time to capture an idea in writing
• Catching yourself before reacting - and choosing curiosity instead

Small things. Disproportionate impact.

And here’s the thing...

Tiny moves aren’t just more sustainable - they’re more motivating.

Because when the next step feels small and achievable, we’re far more likely to take it.

We’re more willing to take risks, because small things can be adjusted quickly too.

And when we see small wins, we create momentum.

Stop looking for game changers. Resist the temptation to chase the big moves.

Start first with the tiny things - the equivalent of those few strokes of lemon zest - that could lift the whole thing.

Where, right now, could a tiny action or shift make a disproportionate difference to your leadership?

(Or your cooking... or your golf... or...)

Until next time,
Simon