Here’s the thing: big wins are great, but they’re rare. Most of the time, transformation is a grind. It’s a long haul, with setbacks and roadblocks, and without those small victories to keep the momentum going, it’s easy to lose steam.

Small wins matter because they create a sense of progress. They remind your team that they’re not spinning their wheels, that all the hard work is leading somewhere. When people see progress—even in small doses—it keeps them motivated. It builds confidence. And most importantly, it builds trust in the process.

In a world where transformation can often feel overwhelming, those small victories provide a tangible sign that things are moving in the right direction. You can’t underestimate the power of that feeling. It’s what keeps your team engaged and pushing forward when the end goal still feels a million miles away.

I once worked on a massive digital transformation project. It was one of those multi-year beasts that impacted every corner of the organization. We were talking about complex system overhauls, retraining entire departments, and a shift in the way the business fundamentally operated.

But here’s the kicker—at first, nothing went smoothly. The project stalled. The team was demoralized. Stakeholders were starting to doubt whether this grand transformation was even worth it.

What saved us? Small wins.

Instead of focusing on the daunting endgame, the we broke the project down into smaller, manageable pieces. We picked one process—just one—and improved it. And you know what? That little win gave the team the confidence they needed to keep going. One small process change led to another. Slowly but surely, the team started racking up victories. Nothing earth-shattering, but each win added up, and soon enough, we had momentum.

By the time we hit the major milestones, we weren’t just limping across the finish line—we had real momentum behind us. And it all started with those small, seemingly insignificant wins.

If you’ve ever led a transformation effort, you know that one of the biggest challenges is keeping the team energized and focused over time. It’s easy for people to lose sight of the big picture when the road ahead looks long and uncertain.

That’s where small wins come in. Momentum is everything. It’s the difference between a team that’s energized and one that’s just going through the motions. Each small victory builds on the last, creating a sense of forward motion that fuels the bigger successes down the road.

Without momentum, even the most promising transformations can sputter out. You can have the perfect strategy, the best technology, and a solid team, but if you’re not racking up small wins along the way, the whole thing can grind to a halt.

Here’s the thing: small wins don’t happen by accident. You have to plan for them. You have to actively look for opportunities to notch those early victories, especially when things are just getting started.

One way to do that? Break down your big transformation goals into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Instead of focusing on the massive end goal, ask yourself, “What can we win today? This week? This month?” Then go after those wins like they’re the only thing that matters.

It could be something as simple as automating one small task, improving one workflow, or even hitting an internal milestone on time. Celebrate those wins with your team. Make sure they see that progress is being made, even if it’s just one small step at a time.

Another thing small wins do is build confidence—in both the process and the team. Transformation can feel like a high-wire act without a net, and every little victory helps ground your team. It shows them that the path you’re on, though bumpy, is the right one.

Each small win also reinforces that change is possible. For teams that are skeptical or resistant, seeing tangible results—even in small doses—can shift the narrative. It’s no longer, “This transformation is impossible.” Instead, it becomes, “We did this. What else can we do?”