In theory, we all welcome improvement.
In practice, most of us struggle to agree on where improvement is actually required.
At an enterprise level, half the battle is not execution. It is alignment. Alignment on a deceptively simple question: what does “good” actually look like?
Each of us operates with a different baseline of what is acceptable in systems and processes. Something that feels “good enough” to one person may look like a complete disaster to another.
Consider a few examples.
In some countries, littering is a common sight. In others, it is a serious offence. Without a shared reference point, how do we explain what “good” waste management looks like?
In some communities, being overweight is socially acceptable—even expected. In others, it is seen as a failure of health and discipline. Without a common frame, how do we define what “healthy” truly means?
In some organisations, moving paper files is the norm. In others, paperless workflows are standard. Without alignment, how do we explain the expectations of a modern workplace?
Most improvement efforts fail not because people resist change, but because they are working from different pictures of “good.”
This is where leadership matters.
Leadership is about painting a vivid and shared picture of the future state. Setting the narrative. Creating a joint mission. Preparing people to challenge the status quo and move toward the next meaningful improvement.
But it always starts at the same place:
Getting key stakeholders to genuinely agree on what good looks like—before asking anyone to improve it.
