17. One Thing You Would Change

Tuesday, 05 May 2026

Most leaders present finished solutions. The best leaders invite others to improve them.

Using masking tape, cardboard cut-outs and an empty factory floor, this essay explores how ownership is created through participation. Rather than asking people for approval, it asks a different question: "What is the one thing you would change?" The result is often deeper engagement, better ideas and a stronger sense of shared responsibility.

Whether designing a factory, leading a project or shaping an organisation, people are far more likely to support a destination when they have helped define the route. Because ownership rarely follows instruction. More often, it follows involvement.