You’ve watched leadership wrangle with a decision.
They’ve talked about it.
And talked about it…
And talked about it.
But, as you know, talking the talk isn’t walking the walk.
There’s a difference between speaking something into existence and having the courage to take that first bold step.
We all know ROI.
ROI = Return on Investment.
Most are less familiar with COI.
COI = Cost of Inaction.
Inaction is an action.
Jen Allen-Knuth, Founder of DemandJen, recently unpacked this COI framework: ROI asks us to believe in a future gain. COI forces us to confront what the status quo is already costing us.
Lost time.
Lost progress.
Lost customers.
Lost momentum.
Missed opportunities.
The framework starts with the organization’s goals, examines the alternative, understands what’s at stake with the status quo, then identifies the hidden costs of staying there.
Inaction is an action.
Leaders often obsess over the risk of moving.
What if it fails?
What if people resist?
What if we’re wrong?
But rarely do we ask the opposite:
What is it costing us to do nothing?
Courage isn’t a reckless action.
It’s recognizing when the cost of standing still has become greater than the cost of moving.
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt
