Overcoming the Lack of Urgency: Why Good Ideas Often Go Nowhere

One of the biggest reasons change efforts fail is surprisingly simple: there’s no urgency.

In Change Management, lack of urgency is often the first and most stubborn obstacle we face. Even when we know something needs to change—when the data is clear, the frustration is high, or the opportunity is right there—we sometimes struggle to move. Why? Because without a compelling reason to act now, good ideas sit on the shelf.

Organizations must be nimble, agile, and ready to respond quickly to threats and opportunities. That doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional effort to create and communicate urgency. Proven techniques include tools like SWOT analysis, benchmarking visits, STEEP factor analysis, listening to the voice of the customer, and performing gap analysis. These approaches help us shine a light on why change is needed and what happens if we don’t act.

But here’s the truth: building urgency isn’t just about tools. It’s about people. It’s about helping teams see the problem and believe in a better future.

Benchmarking as a Catalyst for Change

One of the most effective ways I’ve found to create urgency is through benchmarking visits. Lean organizations do this all the time—not to copy and paste someone else’s solution, but to gain insight, gather inspiration, and spark motivation. Seeing another organization’s improvement journey firsthand can light a fire in your own team.

Years ago, while working for the City of Grand Rapids in Michigan, my team and I led a transformation of our warehouse operations. We applied Lean principles, streamlined processes, and adopted smart inventory practices like Kanban systems. These weren’t abstract changes—they directly benefited both internal and external customers, while saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The Water Department alone reduced costs by over half a million dollars per year.

But we didn’t start with solutions. We started by learning. Before launching our Lean journey, I visited several warehouses and distribution centers that were further along. I wanted to see what Lean looked like in action. I needed to believe it was possible—and I wanted my team to believe it too.

Years later, something amazing happened. After our success, we started offering weekly free tours of our warehouse. People from across industries came to see what we’d done. Even Lean consultants came, cameras in hand, asking permission to show their clients our systems. Gemba Academy eventually visited and recorded several of our improvements, which are still available for Lean practitioners today.
(Watch the video here)

That kind of recognition didn’t come from chasing awards. It came from solving real problems, showing results, and sharing the journey.

Show the Gap, Show the Future

Another powerful method for creating urgency is to make the gap visible.

Tools like the A3 process or Value Stream Mapping help teams document both the current state and the desired future state. When people see where we are and where we could be—side by side—the gap becomes real. It’s no longer just an idea or suggestion. It’s something they can act on.

We used both of these tools during our citywide warehouse transformation, and they played a crucial role. They gave our teams clarity, alignment, and the energy to keep pushing forward.

And here’s what I’ve learned: people want to be part of something meaningful. They want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. As leaders, it’s our job to create that vision, build the urgency, and invite people into the story. That’s what real change is made of.

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