Dan Heath

I got the best email from a reader who was saying that years ago she had worked in a government office and one of her priorities as a leader was to canvas people on the front line to get their ideas and their inspirations. And she said, you know, this one woman had been working in the printing department for a long time. And she said, well, I've got an easy idea for you.

We need to start buying paper in bulk.

We need to start buying paper in bulk.

We need to start buying paper in bulk.

and and for whatever reason you know back to the notion of systems that just kind of set in and get sclerotic they'd just been buying paper on a project basis like when they had something brewing they go buy some paper they do it and then but she said you know we go through a ton of paper and if we just kind of anticipated what we would need and buy it in bulk it would be vastly cheaper and and so the boss immediately runs with this to start buying paper in bulk they save

and and for whatever reason you know back to the notion of systems that just kind of set in and get sclerotic they'd just been buying paper on a project basis like when they had something brewing they go buy some paper they do it and then but she said you know we go through a ton of paper and if we just kind of anticipated what we would need and buy it in bulk it would be vastly cheaper and and so the boss immediately runs with this to start buying paper in bulk they save

and and for whatever reason you know back to the notion of systems that just kind of set in and get sclerotic they'd just been buying paper on a project basis like when they had something brewing they go buy some paper they do it and then but she said you know we go through a ton of paper and if we just kind of anticipated what we would need and buy it in bulk it would be vastly cheaper and and so the boss immediately runs with this to start buying paper in bulk they save

Tens of thousands of dollars, no joke. And imagine what that does for morale. Number one, to be listened to. Number two, to see that your suggestion was put into practice and to see it pay off. Not only was that a win for the organization, but it was also just a huge psychological win for the people involved.

Tens of thousands of dollars, no joke. And imagine what that does for morale. Number one, to be listened to. Number two, to see that your suggestion was put into practice and to see it pay off. Not only was that a win for the organization, but it was also just a huge psychological win for the people involved.

Tens of thousands of dollars, no joke. And imagine what that does for morale. Number one, to be listened to. Number two, to see that your suggestion was put into practice and to see it pay off. Not only was that a win for the organization, but it was also just a huge psychological win for the people involved.

I think it's like a slow realization of powerlessness and which yields a slow accretion of indifference. I think that every human being coming into a new job means well, has ideas, notices things they would do differently.

I think it's like a slow realization of powerlessness and which yields a slow accretion of indifference. I think that every human being coming into a new job means well, has ideas, notices things they would do differently.

I think it's like a slow realization of powerlessness and which yields a slow accretion of indifference. I think that every human being coming into a new job means well, has ideas, notices things they would do differently.

but when you're told no that can't work we can't try that no somebody else tried that it doesn't work it's not your business stay out of it when you're told that you know 100 times in a row it's like you just kind of slowly build up these these calluses Um, and, and eventually you shrug your shoulders and you say, you know, well, that's just, this is my degree of freedom.

but when you're told no that can't work we can't try that no somebody else tried that it doesn't work it's not your business stay out of it when you're told that you know 100 times in a row it's like you just kind of slowly build up these these calluses Um, and, and eventually you shrug your shoulders and you say, you know, well, that's just, this is my degree of freedom.

but when you're told no that can't work we can't try that no somebody else tried that it doesn't work it's not your business stay out of it when you're told that you know 100 times in a row it's like you just kind of slowly build up these these calluses Um, and, and eventually you shrug your shoulders and you say, you know, well, that's just, this is my degree of freedom.

It's tiny, but if I want to keep this job, I'll stay within that degree of freedom. And so a lot of times, like in situations like that, you need that, that outside catalyst, you know, and, and so it may be that some of these situations have just not yet found the right catalyst.

It's tiny, but if I want to keep this job, I'll stay within that degree of freedom. And so a lot of times, like in situations like that, you need that, that outside catalyst, you know, and, and so it may be that some of these situations have just not yet found the right catalyst.

It's tiny, but if I want to keep this job, I'll stay within that degree of freedom. And so a lot of times, like in situations like that, you need that, that outside catalyst, you know, and, and so it may be that some of these situations have just not yet found the right catalyst.

I think that's right. I think that's right. Like the receiving area story where it was taking them three days to deliver within the hospital. I think what happened there is, you know, the muckety mucks in the hospital had gotten enough complaints with people that were frustrated. Hey, we can't get our medicines and our gloves on time. And that they brought in a new person. And that was the spark.