Fix the Core, Don't be the Taxman

How to transform organisational quicksand into a launchpad for breakthrough innovation.

Many changemakers score quick wins and deliver solid solutions early on, but when it comes to building something scalable and enduring, they hit a wall. Why? Because they skip the fundamentals. Every long-term and scalable project needs two things: a stable foundation, and a core squad of motivated champions who believe in the mission.

Fix the Core

Does your organisation rush to meet deadlines, leaving behind half-baked documentation or quick fixes that barely hold together? Are your legacy systems so clunky that integrating modern technology feels like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? Do your teams chase shiny new ideas but lose steam once the novelty wears off? If this sounds familiar, you might be drowning in Technical Debt.

Technical Debt is the cost of cutting corners—prioritising speed or short-term wins over building robust, scalable solutions. It’s like building your house on a hill, as the soil slowly falls away from the foundations. Technical Debt eats up resources inefficiently, makes systems unreliable, and locks you into outdated processes that stifle innovation. Worse yet, during industry downturns, these inefficiencies often get baked into the company’s core operating system, making them feel impossible to escape.

Here’s the hard truth: if you don’t address Technical Debt in your core business areas, you’re not just delaying progress — you’re actively sabotaging it. Fixing inefficiencies and modernising systems doesn’t just make things run smoother; it frees up resources for strategic projects, improves performance, and creates a foundation for sustainable growth. But here’s the catch: you can’t fix everything all at once. You need to prioritise. What specific innovations are impossible without certain enablers? If fixing those prerequisites aren’t on the table or lack commitment from leadership, you might need to shelve that particular solution or entire theme of innovation until the groundwork is ready. Focus on fixing only what’s critical to scaling your innovation across the organisation. Wherever possible, bake these fixes into broader initiatives — don’t make them standalone projects. For example, tie Technical Debt resolution to programs of work that follow a successful market proof of concept. This approach minimises the risk of executives using Technical Debt as an excuse to kill innovation altogether — a convenient scapegoat when budgets tighten or priorities shift.

Prevent Innovation From Becoming a Tax

Let’s talk about burnout — specifically in middle management. Picture this: one of your company's top team leaders is already stretched thin, juggling more responsibilities than their job description ever intended. Then an innovation champion shows up with an exciting (but left-field) idea and asks for their time and support. What’s their first thought?

“How does this help me?”

“What do I have to sacrifice to make room for this?”

“Will my team's performance suffer if I say yes?”

“How will this impact my team's mental health if I add this to their plate?”

It’s no surprise that these requests are often met with polite silence, a “not now,” or worse — the slow hand of death, where someone says yes but never actually follows through. The root problem? Supporting innovation often feels like a tax. And let’s be real — nobody likes paying taxes. In fact, there’s an entire industry dedicated to helping people minimise how much they give to the tax agency.

Don’t let your innovation initiatives become that dreaded tax in your organisation. In an ideal world, people would set aside their self-interest for the greater good of the company. But let’s be honest — that level of altruism isn’t scalable. Instead, you need to frame innovation as something that benefits them personally or professionally. What’s in it for them? How does participating in this initiative align with their career goals or make their day-to-day work easier?

So here’s your playbook: fix the core and don’t be the taxman. Address what’s holding back your organisation’s ability to innovate — and make sure supporting innovation feels like an opportunity, not a burden.

In my next article, I’ll dive deeper into how you can create human-centered value propositions that encourage people to rally behind innovation initiatives. Stay tuned!