Content dictates form

Or rather, content should dictate form. If it’s for digging a hole, it should probably look like a shovel.

What you ultimately want to have happen should dictate how you work. Sometimes, starting with an inconspicuous place lets a positive change take hold. Other times, you need to walk in and metaphorically punch the biggest guy in the room. It depends on whether the fundamental goal of your work is centripetal or centrifugal. replace them all? ^[By this I mean: Are you trying to do something that will increase consistency and centralized management or something that will increase variation and decentralized independence? Creating an island of greatness doesn’t work so well when you’re trying to standardize.]

It also happens the other way, where our tools shape their output. This can then become a challenge of choosing the right tool.

References

Mintrom, Michael. Policy Entrepreneurs and Dynamic Change . Cambridge University Press, 2020.

Leading by example is a powerful way to make change seem less risky. Sometimes, starting in an inconspicuous place can take advantage of cracks in the system. Small successes can spread and become dominant. p.42-43