Forgive me if this is unprofessional, but I’d like to talk to you about my new bra.

For all intents and purposes, it’s very similar to all my other bras. Not surprising since the fundamental design of the bra hasn’t changed in decades. Of course, it has been refined and materials have improved (thank goodness for Lycra!) but a bra in 2021 bears more than a strong resemblance to a bra in 1971.

People do try to completely re-invent them from time to time, but those radical new designs never seem to take off, and we’re back to a version of what we’ve always had.

What makes my new bra so much better is one simple but significant change…

The straps have a lining of non-slip material (some sort of rubber) which means that the blasted thing isn’t always falling off my shoulders and I don’t have to constantly re-adjust it.

It’s genius!

One simple change, which of course has added to the manufacturing process and cost (but only marginally) has made the basic product almost 100% better.

And it made me wonder about management and leadership programmes. They have evolved over the decades, but fundamentally they have the same aims as they always have, and cover (broadly) the same things. Our methods have changed (of course) and the specifics of what we cover has changed to reflect what we know is good leadership and management practice. But leadership and management programmes don’t change significantly from one iteration to the next.

So when you are encouraged (or tempted) to scrap a programme in it’s entirety, just take a moment to think.

It’s quite possible that the basic programme is good and fit for purpose, but there’s perhaps one specific thing that stops it from being brilliant. Like droopy straps on a bra. So before you are tempted to rip it up and start from scratch, why not do a bit of research with past participants and find out the ONE thing that could have made the entire programme more effective. It may be as simple and easy as adding a non-slip lining to straps…. one small change massively increasing the effectiveness of your programme.

Isn’t it better to find that, than to be re-doing your entire programme every 3 years?