Spotting what’s broken at work is often easy, especially when you’re new. You notice clunky processes, unnecessary meetings, outdated tools, or ways of working that no longer make sense. Fresh eyes are good at that.
What’s harder is knowing what to do with those observations.
For emerging professionals without seniority or a formal change role, influencing improvement can feel risky. You may worry about overstepping, being ignored, or being labelled as “the complainer.” Yet organisations desperately need people who don’t just see inefficiencies but help move things forward.
The good news: you don’t need a title, authority, or transformation mandate to influence change. You need practical ways to turn insight into action.
Newer professionals often underestimate the value of what they see but being close to the work and not yet conditioned to “how things have always been done” is a strength.
Emerging talent tends to:
• Question processes others have stopped noticing
• Compare current practices to newer tools or approaches
• Experience friction firsthand rather than through reports
• See inconsistencies across teams, systems, or handoffs
Observation is the first step of change. The challenge is translating that awareness into improvement without formal power.
One common mistake is stopping at critique saying “this doesn’t work” is rarely enough to spark action.
Instead, reframe your thinking:
• From problem-focused → to outcome-focused
• From complaints → to opportunities
• From “they should fix this” → to “how could this be better?”
For example:
• “This approval process is slow” becomes
“What would a faster, lower-risk version of this look like?”
This shift makes your input easier for others to hear and act on.
You don’t need to redesign an entire system to make an impact. In fact, small, low-risk improvements are often the most effective place to start.
Look for:
• Repetitive tasks that could be simplified
• Minor delays that add up over time
• Confusing handoffs between people or tools
• Meetings or reports that no longer serve a clear purpose
Small changes build credibility. They show that you’re thoughtful, practical, and focused on outcomes not disruption for its own sake.
Influence grows when observations are supported by clarity.
Before raising an issue, ask yourself:
• How often does this problem occur?
• Who is affected, and how?
• What is the cost in time, effort, or errors?
You don’t need formal data analysis, simple examples, patterns, or quick counts can be enough.
Instead of saying:
“This process feels inefficient.”
Try:
“I’ve noticed this step adds about two extra days each time, and it comes up multiple times a week.”
Specificity turns opinions into insights.
You don’t need the perfect answer to suggest an improvement. What matters is showing initiative and thoughtfulness.
When raising an idea:
• Share one or two possible options, not a full redesign
• Acknowledge trade-offs or risks
• Invite input rather than pushing a fixed solution
For example:
“I’m not sure if this would work, but I wondered if we could test a simpler version for one project and see what happens.”
This positions you as collaborative and learning-oriented which are key traits for influencing change.
How you raise an idea matters as much as the idea itself.
Consider:
• Is this best shared in a 1:1, team meeting, or informal conversation?
• Is there an upcoming review, or planning session where this fits naturally?
• Who would be most impacted or supportive?
Emerging professionals often gain traction by starting with their direct manager or a trusted teammate, rather than trying to influence everyone at once.
Change rarely happens alone even small improvements move faster with support.
You can build allies by:
• Asking others if they’ve noticed the same issue
• Involving teammates in shaping the idea
• Giving credit and sharing ownership
When others feel included, your idea becomes a shared improvement, not a personal agenda.
One of the hardest lessons in influencing change is realising that good ideas don’t always get adopted especially in complex organisations.
What matters is:
• Learning how decisions are made
• Understanding constraints you may not see yet
• Refining how you communicate and propose ideas
Each attempt builds your change capability, even when the outcome isn’t immediate.
You don’t need a “change” job title to influence how work gets better. You just need to move from silent observation to thoughtful action.
By:
• Reframing problems as opportunities
• Starting small and being specific
• Offering ideas with curiosity, not certainty
• Building relationships and credibility over time,
emerging professionals can play a meaningful role in shaping how organisations evolve.
Change doesn’t only come from formal leaders.
Often, it starts with someone who noticed something and chose to act.
