Finding the balance between innovation and operational excellence can feel like walking a tightrope. I believe the key is to assess both through the lens of long-term value. When considering new initiatives, I ask: Will this elevate efficiency without compromising what we already do well? It’s about maintaining the core, while still daring to evolve. Diverse input also plays a crucial role. Gathering feedback from teams at all levels helps uncover hidden risks and opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked. Ultimately, scaling innovation should feel organic, not forced, aligning growth with the strengths of current operations.

You are doing it wrong if you are torn between innovation and operation excellence. Your operation cannot be excellent if it doesn’t enable innovation and provide conditions and segregated spaces for testing and failures. These days, more than ever, organizations that don’t innovate won’t see the sunrise of tomorrow. Build your operation to enable you to be agile, dynamic, and innovative.

Torn between innovation and operational excellence? Channel your resources to how each fits into the long-term strategy of your business. First, take a critical view at what is presently needed and will be needed in the future by your organization. If the organization needs to be efficient and post consistent results for the near future, then the way to go would be to take the route of operational excellence. You would have to focus on innovation for long-term growth and competitiveness in the dynamically changing market.

Balancing innovation with operational excellence is always a challenge. I start by assessing the potential risks of any new initiative, understanding how it could impact ongoing operations. Scalability is key—if the innovation can’t grow with us, it won’t succeed. I also value diverse input, gathering different perspectives to make well-rounded decisions. It’s about making sure progress doesn’t come at the cost of reliability.