Laws of Leadership: Gall's Law

Complex initiatives tend to break at a fundamental level.

Gall's Law: "A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked. A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work. You have to start over with a working simple system."

This one is essential for the process designer in leadership and every leader is a process designer.

When leading change, the temptation is to map out every detail upfront.

Gall's Law reminds us that we need to get a simple system working, then iterate. It'll deliver results faster and more effectively than traditional methods, and you will have a LOT more control of how it actually works.

Studies show iterative methods have 3-5 times higher success rates and faster implementation than traditional methods (https://lnkd.in/eZvfYrTZ).

If you're designing a new process, start with the bare essentials, a simple framework that addresses the core problem. Test it by implementing, identify the issues, solicit feedback for changes, and iterate.

You can create a lot of burn-out trying to fight through a complex initiative that could have been launched in an iterative manner much more effectively and easily.

And realize that the success you see in traditional methods actually is iterative, it’s just not intended to be.

Leading change is hard. An understanding of Gall's Law helps us build sustainable processes efficiently.

Change leadership is a marathon. Keep changes small and simple and work those iterations with your team.