In the context of strategy implementation, the definition of a quick win is…
‘Quick-win’ gets bandied about - a lot.
It often means ‘quick-task’ which is not at all the same thing in my book. Things can be quick to do, and people can feel nice and busy getting on and doing them, but they may not be aligned with a strategic ambition, they don’t deliver any tangible customer or business value, and what they were was easy - not valuable.
This is particularly prevalent in change work since the business is likely working on stuff that is new to it, new to the people involved in it. What they don’t want to admit to you that they don’t know how to do that new thing you asked them to do, so instead they make themselves busy working on something they do know how to do: this is unlikely to be the revolutionary or innovative idea you really needed.
Hence, strategy implementation can easily get muddied up with lots of ‘quick tasks’ and take away crucial resources from focusing on the stuff that will really contribute.
True quick-wins though, can be real valuable - they demonstrate progress early in the transformation journey, help validate assumptions and test new approaches and create momentum that sustains longer-term initiatives. All of this increases trust in the change work, on both the senior stakeholder side and the doing side.
When I am helping a organistion to shape a transformation roadmap, this is what I look for when it comes to a quick-win.
Definition
A low-effort, low-risk, high-impact initiative that can be implemented rapidly to deliver visible results and build momentum toward broader strategic goals.
Key Characteristics
Fast to Execute - Typically achievable within weeks, not months. Requires minimal dependencies or approvals.
AND
Has a Tangible Impact - Delivers benefits you can measure—financial, operational, or customer.
AND
Low Risk - Doesn’t require major structural changes or long-term investment. Can be reversed or adjusted easily if needed.
AND
Aligned to a strategic ambition - Delivers, supports or accelerates the larger transformation goals.