In my experience, every financial company feels a constant tug-of-war between two equally important priorities: keeping the business running smoothly and
pushing it to evolve. One is about maintaining stability, the other is about transformation and changing things for the better.
And while it might sound simple to say “you need to find a balance,” anyone who has ever tried will know that it’s one of the toughest strategic challenges
out there.
In this article, I would like to share some of my own thoughts on this subject.
How to Define “Running” and “Changing” a Business?
First things first, let’s have a clear picture of what, exactly, we’re talking about here. “Running” the business is all about keeping up with the daily
operations that focus on satisfying clients and bringing in revenue. It’s the processes, metrics, and the consistent delivery that your customers count on. It’s what your company is doing in the “now”.
“Changing” the business, on the other hand, is something you start thinking about when considering the future. It’s launching new products, entering new
markets, adopting new technologies, and adapting to big shifts in regulation or customer behavior.
The challenge, of course, comes down to what you feel your business should focus on. If you think too much about change to the point of neglecting your current
clients, you risk destabilizing what’s already working. But if you only focus on keeping things running as they are and ignore innovation, competitors will eventually leave you behind, and it is likely that a good portion of your clients will drift away. Because
other providers offer better, faster, more convenient services.
At my own company, for example, we’ve made our core philosophy clear: current clients come first. But we never lose sight of the fact that standing still
isn’t an option. We aim for stability in operations and if innovation has to happen, it needs to be meaningful.
When Should You Prioritize One Over the Other?
The honest truth here is that no company gets this balance right 100% of the time. Prioritization can be a very convoluted mess of factors, and you’re bound
to make mistakes here and there. That is not something to worry about excessively. But there are some clear signals that can help guide your decision-making on this path.
“Running” is something to prioritize when you’re facing internal issues. If you see client complaints, or operational inefficiencies, or gaps in regulatory
compliance. Or even if you simply don’t have the budget to fund any meaningful change at the moment. Before moving forward, you need to make sure your foundation is solid, or it will just crumble right under you when you are not paying attention.
Meanwhile, “change” is something you should focus on when the world outside your company starts shifting. If you see a major technological advancement, a
new piece of legislation that will affect your chosen market, or a competitor making a big move of some sort.
When something like that happens, you need to think about how it’s going to affect your circumstances and what your business should do to keep up with the
change. If the world is moving forward and you are standing still, you may as well be going backward.
Let’s take Revolut as a prime example of what I mean. Over time, they’ve become very good at rapidly innovating while keeping their core services reliable.
New features roll out all the time, but their customers rarely feel disruption. Innovation isn’t just about bold ideas — it’s also about solid execution.
The Struggle of Balancing Both
Of course, “solid execution” is where things tend to get complicated. Whether you focus on operation control or leading change, you still have the same team.
And all too often, these same people are expected to do both, and do it well.
But things aren’t that simple — people who thrive in stable, predictable routines can often feel stressed or confused by the chaos that inherently comes
with innovation processes. And, looking from the other side, those who are eager about driving change can overlook the value of day-to-day operations.
As a result, it is not unusual to see situations where the attempts to “change” things end up disrupting what’s already there. Frustration can easily build
among team members because of misaligned purposes, the need to shift mindsets, or because some are simply resistant to change and don’t understand why it’s even needed if “things are already working fine.”
Under such circumstances, it is easy for people to suffer from burnout, causing innovations to stall and operational performance to suffer.
So How Can Companies Get Better at Finding Balance?
There are a number of things that I can suggest here. The very first being that any change needs to follow some kind of framework. Whether it’s SAFe, Six
Sigma, or another model, your team needs to understand how change will happen. You can’t move forward if you don’t see a clear path.
Another piece of advice is to not be hesitant about bringing in external consultants to help along the road. They bring outside perspectives and previous
experience of helping other companies through similar changes. The value of that is not to be underestimated. And, let’s be honest — if you’re paying them for consultations, it puts a bit of extra pressure on you to follow through on it. Nobody likes wasting
money without getting results.
On the internal level, you should also build a culture of operational excellence and incentivize your teams. Give the reasons to care about the changes you’re
trying to implement. Constant communication is essential here — people need to understand the “why” behind changes, not just the “what.” Having tangible metrics would also help a lot with that. For example, tie bonuses to efficiency gains, cost reductions,
new product launches — things like that. Provide that extra bit of motivation.
And, while still on the subject of metrics, it’s not just about motivating your employees; it’s about defining what success looks like. For any change initiative,
you need proper assessments. How much should it cost? What value will it deliver? It helps turn vague ideas into solid business goals.
Finally, learn to embrace the structured chaos. Change will always bring some amount of disruption — it is inevitable. But if it’s managed well — with the
right people, goals, and tools — it can lead to real progress without causing operational damage.
If you have the chance, appoint “change champions” — people who understand both the daily operations and the need for change. They can be a very valuable
asset, bridging the gap between the “innovators” and the “traditionalists” within the team and reducing internal tensions.
Final Thoughts
Balancing run and change isn’t just a management challenge — it’s a mindset. Stability and innovation aren’t opposites; they are interdependent. If your
business runs well, you’ll have the capacity to change. If you change well, you’ll stay relevant and competitive. Companies that can build systems where both are possible are the ones that get to thrive in the long term.
