Quick Wins vs. the Long Game: When to Use Each for Sustainable Change

As an operations leader, you’ve likely faced this dilemma:

Do we make a quick fix now, or slow down to do it right?

Both approaches have their place. But knowing when to choose one over the other is what separates reactive teams from strategic ones.

A recent conversation reignited this question for me. With a background in project management and workflow optimization, I often help teams find that balance, building momentum through quick wins and designing long term workflows.

So when should you sprint, and when should you invest in the marathon?

Play the Long Game When the System Is Already Cracking

You’ve seen it before: a workflow that’s long outlived its usefulness. It’s been patched over so many times that no one remembers what it was supposed to do. You only hear about it when something breaks - and then someone scrambles to “just fix it.”

But the patch doesn’t hold. Six months later, the same problem resurfaces. You’re stuck in the chaos loop.

This is where the Long Game comes into play.

You don’t need another bandaid. You need to:

• Step back and assess what the workflow is really supposed to achieve

• Talk to the people doing the work

• Map the real use cases

• Align on what success should look like

• Build something that works today and can grow with you

It takes more time. It takes more effort. But it pays off by breaking the chaos loop.

If your team is stuck fighting the same fire over and over, it’s time to stop reacting and start rebuilding.

Go for Quick Wins When You Need Buy-In or Momentum

There’s a different kind of challenge at the start of a new initiative: uncertainty.

You might be launching a pilot project, assembling a cross-functional team, or introducing a new tool. Nobody’s sure how it’s going to go. Trust hasn’t been built yet. The stakes might feel low, but so is the confidence.

That’s where quick wins shine.

Picture this:

You’re in a room with three people from different departments. You’re supposed to kick off a big initiative. No one knows what tools anyone else uses. No one’s clear on who owns what. But the deadline is fast approaching.

What do you do?

You don’t dive into the deep end. You find a quick win - something small, visible, and doable. It gives the team a reason to move forward together. It builds confidence. It shows what’s possible.

Suddenly, people are talking. Roles are clarifying. Progress is visible. Now the team’s ready for the bigger lift.

Quick wins aren’t about avoiding the hard stuff; they’re about creating the right conditions to take it on.

The Takeaway

Quick wins build trust. The Long Game builds systems. You need both.

If you’re trying to create sustainable change:

• Start small when you’re building new teams, launching something experimental, or working with skeptics

• Shift to the Long Game when you’re facing a chronic problem, legacy system, or anything that’s being held together with duct tape and hope

The secret sauce in change management is being able to do both and knowing when to switch gears.

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Are you facing a workflow that’s outgrown its patchwork? Or trying to build trust with a new team? I help operations leaders solve for both, so they’re not dealing with the same issue again next year.