When we take on big challenges, like innovation, it’s tempting to jump to big solutions. But sometimes, it’s the small things that matter most. Small is in the detail. And small often requires big thought. But when creating sustainable systems that support change there is power in small. Here are ten (tiny) lessons we’ve learned at Wolff Olins where thinking small can have a big impact.

1. 10
learnings on
thinking small
for big impact

2. Big change is in the detail…
When we take on big challenges, like innovation, it’s tempting to jump to big
solutions. But sometimes, it’s the small things that matter most.
Small can mean:
• Relentless focus instead of a broad view
• Input from a few rather than many
• Prioritising a humble approach over a bombastic one
• Valuing the insight of one customer over the data from many
• Creating connections that may otherwise be overlooked
Small is in the detail. And small often requires big thought. But when
creating sustainable systems that support change there is power in small.
Here are ten (tiny) lessons we’ve learned at Wolff Olins
where thinking small can have a big impact.

3. 1. Embrace an attitude of small
To think big, start small. While entrepreneurial
ventures succeed when they do something very
focused very well; large enterprises tend to make
the biggest impact by doing modest things, at scale.

4. 2. For disruptive innovation, create a nimble team
There’s a lot of chatter about making every employee an
innovator. But disruptive innovation isn’t democratic.
The inspiration for moving into adjacent markets or
engaging in disruptive change is the job of a small circle of
people whose talent is seeing the company and the industry
as a system. They could be business heads, analysts,
consultants or members of a specialised innovation team.

5. 3. Engineer connections to catch the best ideas
Simple, but important links between new projects and P&Ls
will ensure success. Innovation wilts in isolation, but an
intelligent, connective layer will allow quick and intuitive
growth. To do this, engage business heads early and often
and create clear paths into existing infrastructure.

6. 4. Choose the right moments for big-storming
Be specific. Crowd-sourcing ideas should not be an everyday
occurrence; it should be treated as a special occasion. Set
people up for success – carefully craft questions that unlock
ideas about the core business that they know best. Be
explicit about rewards for concepts that rise above the rest.

7. 5. Reward individual behaviours that add up to big change
Hire, manage, compensate and promote people to make
them effective innovators. For front-line employees, make
room in their goals for crowd-sourcing challenges, and
measure performance based on how well they adopt new
practices that are critical to progress. For employees in
charge of more ambitious innovation programmes, reward
them for collaborating well on the inside, partnering well on
the outside, taking regular but measured risks, adding to
institutional knowledge and contributing to financial growth.

8. 6. Be open to outside stories
Chances are, some flavour of the problem you’re wrestling
with today has been confronted before, in another industry
or at a smaller scale. Taking cues from the outside world is
hardest for businesses that have grown organically,
around a strong culture. But the effort is worth it.
Innovation can thrive using an analogy as inspiration.

9. 7. Learn from the little guys
Learn from early-stage ventures by working alongside
them. Make equity investments to align their future with
yours. In exchange for exposure to their thinking, help
early-stage companies stress-test their concepts by
introducing them to customers or data and fast-track
conversations with the right leaders within your business.

10. 8. Talk to people
Stories are sometimes lost in big data sets. Cultivate insight
from individual customers and their unique moments of
interaction with your company. Existing customers can be
your best friends in developing new products, services and
business models. Not only are your efforts more likely to hit
their mark, the very act of co-inventing with customers
creates a new kind of engagement and loyalty.

11. 9. Fail small
Set yourself up for repeated failure, but at a small scale.
More times than not, experiments fail. Design around a clear
hypothesis and a precise understanding of what it will cost if
things go badly. If the first part is done right, failure is
unlikely to be absolute. Instead, it will teach valuable lessons
that can be used to make improvements and be tested again.

12. 10. Celebrate small wins
A culture is defined by shared values, norms, rituals and
behaviours, but it draws energy from a rhythm of catalysing
experiences. Shine a bright light on experiments that work, at
any stage, to help employees rally around a shared vision for
where the business is headed. This could be an event, an
exhibit, a video, or even a game. The bravest businesses treat
failure in the same way, observing hard lessons learned well.