Can a Small Change Make a Difference?

Are you planning or thinking about making changes in your life or at work? If so, maybe the thoughts offered below will facilitate your thinking.


I wonder if making a small change can make a difference? Can training a few people in an organisation make a difference? Can changing a small part of our way of being as an individual make a difference?

In considering this we are immediately faced with a number of questions:

• What does difference mean?
• What does small mean?
• What counts as a change?
• Who decides what these words mean?
• Who decides whether the difference made is one which is worthwhile?
• How will we know if the change has made any difference?
• How are these things decided?
• Does it matter if we cannot quantify a change or its impact on self, or on an organisation?
• Do we know what counts as evidence of change?

Consider a time when you were sitting in your garden in the sunshine (the concept of sunshine being a bit tricky this summer). Think about the shadows that creep across the garden until you find yourself sitting in the shade.


Did you notice the small movements of the shade?



What is a big enough movement or change for you to notice?



Can the bigger, noticeable changes happen without the smaller, unnoticeable ones?



What does this mean, or how can you apply this thinking to changes you are contemplating in your life or work?


If you have something you would like to say about these thoughts and questions, or if you want to share experiences of small changes making a difference, feel free to email it to office@baobabcentre.com and it may be posted on this blog.