High performing individuals and organisations have achieved great things by taking 1% actions consistently.
Getting started
Afroz Shah is a lawyer from Mumbai, India and became known for the world’s largest beach clean-up project. The Versova beach stretches for 2.5 kilometres and was covered in decomposing waste. Afroz and his 84-year-old neighbour Harbansh Mathur decided to make a start by cleaning the beach at weekends. Soon after volunteers got involved and within 2 years they had removed over 4,000 tonnes of waste.
Creating momentum
Creating momentum can lead organisations to improve performance dramatically. IBM understood that setting high sales targets could have a negative effect on employee performance. To counter this, they set low sales quotas as a means of encouraging action which in turn created momentum and boosted employee confidence. This had the desired effect as employees consistently outperformed their quotas as opposed to being intimidated by high quotas.
Building team spirit
Many high performing sports teams use a morning ritual of greeting fellow teammates with a handshake and addressing them by their name. This daily 1% action is a means of building trust and respect between players. For those in the youth academy they have an opportunity to meet players they look up to and this in turn creates a sense of belonging within the wider group.
What 1% actions have had the biggest impact on your performance?
