[5] The Last Drop of Toothpaste – How to appreciate the status quo before making changes

Every few months when I near the end of a tube of toothpaste, I flatten and crimp the end hoping to make it last a couple more days. Surprisingly, I routinely find that I get at least a couple of weeks out of it.

The broader application here is we often underappreciate how much we get out of existing resources. At work, we are quick to discard outdated processes and methodologies for something new without stopping to truly appreciate what makes the original way effective. We also assume that new technology will always improve our work without realizing that its success is predicated on a thoughtfully designed integration plan.

When considering an update, write out all the benefits of the status quo. This will help identify any holes that the enhancement may create. Then plan out in detail how you will integrate it into your existing work. Finally, properly size the integration work and compare that to the expected benefit of the new method to ensure it’s worthwhile. These extra steps will help you to forego resource intensive changes that lack a commensurate benefit and maximize the effectiveness of the changes you do move forward with.