Moving the Needle

Because the Needle Does Not Move Itself

“They're drinking in the bar! Celebrating our sinking! Not yet, my friends. Not yet!”

from Das Boot

Do you remember this movie scene from “Das Boot”? The submarine had sunk to the seabed, way deeper than it was built for, and then the crew was trying to raise it. Throughout the process, they were staring at the analog depth gauge, waiting for the needle to move. It started with a slight tremor first, and when the needle moved for the first time, the crew was cheering. They knew that their situation had significantly improved.

Move the needle is an idiom that means to make a change that is noticeable, to modify something so that the effect is measurable. Most often, moving the needle is used in a positive sense, meaning to make progress toward a goal.

The term became popular a few decades ago in the business world, where one of the fundamental questions is: How does one have an impact on the company? What is the measure of this impact? Business is definitely an environment where success for an individual employee and the company as a whole requires significant, noticeable, and positive achievement.

In a blog post, Healthcare Success provides an example of what it means to move the needle as an employee:

“People want to do a good job. And they want to be appreciated and recognized for hard work and accomplishments. ... But this is not about their growth potential or intelligence they bring to the job. To be appreciated—and for a strong organization to grow—people need to tune into where or how “they are moving the needle”. When you move the needle, use the same gauge as the boss.”

Inspiration for this article came from Lee Salz, a great voice in the world of sales. He wrote about improvements because of learning:

“When you read a book or attend a seminar, the objective isn’t to find a revolutionary selling approach that will monumentally change the way you sell. If you have that mindset, you’ll be disappointed when you find it doesn’t exist. Your goal should be to find tips, techniques, and strategies which move the needle of your sales game. Incremental improvements in each step of your selling process have a magical impact on your sales results.”

Brian Evans, one of the top business journalists and influencers in the world, provides insights into the direction the needle should move:

“Information overload is a very real hazard when picking up a new … skill. ... A quick Google search will supply you with books, articles, webinars, and YouTube videos that all purport to have the best perspective. In the midst of this avalanche of information, the traditional advice is to just “do something.” Get the ball rolling and tweak your strategy from there. The thing is, it’s easy to move the needle—it’s harder to make sure it’s going in the right direction. You don’t simply want action. You want strategic action. You need to narrow down your options and choose a method you believe can see you to the finish.”

At Microsoft, the term seems to be particularly popular. Raymond Chen:

“The phrase move the needle is part of general business jargon, but it is very popular here at Microsoft. You need to know what it means, and more importantly, you need to be willing to throw it around yourself in order to sound more hip and with-it. In general business speak, move the needle means generates a reaction, but at Microsoft, it has the more general sense of provide a perceptible improvement.”

Joe Sweeney, author of a book titled “Moving the Needle,” talks about the deliberate process and action plan required:

“Moving the needle can happen every day in our lives. You have to be committed to continuous improvement and also develop systems that help create game changers. It isn’t always that large order in business or the big promotion. You can do it when you learn to get quiet, get centered, enjoy simple things in your life and take pleasure in experiencing special moments that life presents to us.”

This internet is full of good advice on how to move the needle as an employee, a leader, or a business owner. “8 Actions,” 11 Ways,” or “5 Keys” are everywhere to be found. They are often well-curated lists that are specific to a situation. The common thread? The needle does not move itself.

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Healthcare Success – How Are You Moving the Needle in Your Organization?

Brian Evans – If You’re Working to Move the Needle, Make Sure It’s the Right One

Raymond Chen – Microspeak: move the needle

Joe Sweeney – Moving the Needle

Wikipedia - Das Boot

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia