Why ‘Slow Growth’ Beats ‘Quick Wins’ in Complex Systems

Quick wins are tempting. They look good in reports, they keep funders happy, and they’re easy to measure.

But in complex systems — schools, economies, communities — they can backfire. Change takes root when people have time to test, adapt, and own the process.

At E³, we learned this the hard way. Early on, we rolled out training materials to hundreds of teachers at once. Uptake looked great for a month, then dropped off. When we shifted to a slower, problem-driven approach, adoption was smaller at first but far more lasting.

Slow growth isn’t passive. It’s active learning, iteration, and sharing what works. It trades early applause for deeper impact.

If you want change that lasts, resist the rush.