Why “Better Practice” rather than “Best Practice”? 

Why does Grosvenor talk about ‘Better Practice’ rather than ‘Best Practice’?

What is Best Practice?

Best Practice refers to a set of guidelines, methods, or techniques that are widely accepted as the most effective and efficient way to achieve a particular goal or solve a particular problem. Best Practice is adopted as the industry standard or benchmark for achieving success. When people talk about Best Practice, they’re suggesting that there is always a solution you can take off the shelf and apply. That ‘Industry Gold Standard’ that if replicated, will get the best possible outcomes for your organisation.

Best Practice may not always be suitable for every situation. Different contexts and environments may require different approaches, and what works well in one situation may not work as well in another. It can become outdated over time, as technology and society evolve, new ideas and approaches emerge that may be more effective than previously established methods. Best Practice can imply a one-size-fits-all approach, assuming that there is a single best way to do something that applies universally. In reality, what works best in one context may not work as well in another context, and the Best Practice may not be applicable or feasible for all situations.

A lot of people talk about this being the ‘copy and paste’ approach, but we prefer to think about it being more like ‘find and replace’ or ‘cookie cutter’. We all know the dangers of a global find and replace in a document. Often it results, at best, in contextual changes to the document, but at worst the document is riddled with issues and/or no longer makes any sense. Whether it’s your operating model, your accommodation strategy, or your outsourcing approach, that simple find and replace (or cookie cutter) methodology isn’t going to cut it. (Apologies for the pun!)

What is Better Practice?

Better Practice refers to the continuous improvement, refinement and tailoring of practices. This involves reviewing, revising, and enhancing existing practices to achieve even better results. It is an ongoing process of learning more about what the client needs, adaptation to their circumstances, and aims to go beyond the current best practices to achieve even greater levels of success. Better Practice refers to a more innovative or progressive approach. It may involve taking a different perspective, using new technology, or incorporating insights from other fields.

Better Practices are:

> innovative as it encourages continuous improvement

> customized approaches that can be tailored to specific needs and circumstances

> flexible approaches that can be optimized for specific goals

> a more creative and dynamic approach to problem-solving, rather than simply relying on established practices without question

> challenging established ways of doing things, which can lead to new and better solutions

So why choose Better Practice over Best Practice?

Better Practice encourages a mindset of continuous improvement and encourages individuals and organizations to seek out new ideas, innovative and ‘better’ solutions. Better Practice can encourage collaboration and sharing of ideas.  This can lead to more creative and effective solutions than simply following a prescribed Best Practice without questioning or adapting it to the specific situation.

Overall, Better Practice can be a more flexible, adaptable, and collaborative and it promotes ongoing improvement and innovation.

Grosvenor Better Practice

Whether it’s your operating model, your governance, or your outsourcing approach, that simple cookie cutter methodology isn’t going to cut it. Grosvenor practices Better Practice by firstly understanding the client’s objectives, operating environment, culture and ways of working.

This means not only understanding where the client has been, but also where they want to go. It means using our knowledge across the different industries and sectors, emerging trends and proven approaches, and applying it to the client’s specific context. It is about looking at potential solutions that are specifically relevant to the client’s organisation, and evaluating how they would be applied to get the best possible results for that organisation.

In doing this, we’re able to identify potential risks and opportunities down the road, and fully appreciate how they may affect the client’s organisation for the better or worse. Sometimes there is an existing approach that can be amended to provide a quality solution, but by doing the quality thinking we can then design an approach which represents Better Practice for that organisation.

So, when you find that Best Practice or Industry Gold Standard and you’re wondering whether to replace your ways of working, your service scope, or your operating model, do yourself a favour and think deeper. Think about who you are as an organisation and where you want to go, and what affect those standard solutions might have. Do you want Best results or Better than Best results?

 

Your cookie may end up looking a little different to all of those around you because you haven’t used a cookie cutter, but it will taste so much sweeter! Contact us so we can bake a solution with you.