Automating a flawed process is like "pouring cement" on it. Before implementing AI or automation, firms must rigorously question every requirement, delete unnecessary steps, simplify what remains, and then accelerate cycle time. Automation should always be the final step to avoid locking in complexity and wasting energy.
New employees bring a fresh perspective and question legacy processes, but this effect fades within a month as they accept existing norms. Companies should create a system to formally capture these 'fresh eyes' observations within the first 30 days before the new hire assimilates and stops questioning the status quo.
Incremental process improvement is insufficient for true simplification. Drawing on Elon Musk's method, the goal should be to aggressively delete steps until you remove one that is actually necessary and must be re-added. This counter-intuitive approach ensures you have identified the absolute minimum viable process with no superfluous elements.
Actively listening to your own recorded predictions from the previous year reveals how flawed forecasting is. This "depressing" but humbling exercise counters overconfidence and reinforces that in a complex world, agility, robustness, and a strong balance sheet are far more valuable than the illusion of predictive certainty.
A culture that punishes mistakes, often found in large public sectors, stifles creativity and innovation. To counteract this, leaders must create an environment where it is safe to fail. By running initiatives as 'pilots' and learning from them quickly and honestly, companies can build the resilience needed for true improvement.