I’m no author on this topic but I love the concept and thinking behind it. The thinking behind marginal gains is about small incremental improvements in any process adding up to a significant improvement when they are all added together.

I’ve seen my workplace do many incremental improvements in the automation / RPA space which has led to some significant improvements (time saved shaping paperwork, less repetitive tasks for employees, quicker engagement with customers, etc).

I love the thinking that the Cycling Team Sky originally put into this. When they go to events like the Tour de France or Giro d’Italia they take their own mattresses and pillows so their cyclists can sleep in the same, known beds and pillows every night versus simply sleeping on what is in their hotel!

I’ve just come back from a few days in Hamilton at the NZ Secondary Schools Swimming Champs where my daughter was racing. Swimming is a funny sport where marginal gains are absolutely in play. I saw it first-hand where there my daughter was focused on breathing less in her freestyle and butterfly events. By this you can minimise drag meaning tiny, tiny time improvements!

For me personally I’ve got some questions and challenges in front of me that hopefully will help me provide a better service and product to my customers. For me I’m working on having a better growth mindset:

  • Seeking feedback from customers (what did you like, what can I do better) as an opportunity to improve and learn
  • Being unafraid to try new things (investing time in RPA tasks and tools)
  • Being motivated and inspired by the success of others (asking others how you turned that T & M opportunity into a service)
  • Recognising that it’s effort and focus that will determine ultimate achievement (versus relying on luck)

Do you have any marginal gains in you or your business?