Ever feel like your ideas are too small to matter in a tech world that demands constant big changes? Think again.

As the only woman in an operations team at a fully-remote blockchain company, I often felt we could do better. Yet, I struggled to transfer my value or make my points stick. I noticed that our team had friction with other departments because they felt we were getting in the way of their goals, even though we were just trying to stay compliant and organized. It was frustrating, to say the least.

To make matters worse, we were using a project management tool that technically worked, but nobody loved it. As a result, no one used it properly, and we had almost no visibility on who was working on what. This only added to the chaos, and we needed better organization, but no one was speaking up about it.

Recognizing this, I decided to take the lead. I realized that the problem wasn’t necessarily the tool itself but how we were using it. The rigid, one-size-fits-all approach of our current system wasn’t working for us. So, I proposed a customized solution: a mix of Scrum, but with our own adjustments. For example, we found that traditional two-week sprints were too short for some of our tasks but dragging them out made things feel stagnant. My solution? A flexible framework that included a backlog, an active board, and an archive, allowed us to track progress without feeling bogged down.

I brought this idea to my boss. He wasn’t completely sold at first, which is understandable. I knew this would be a shift in our workflow, and change isn’t always easy. But I kept it simple and showed him how it could work. I also suggested splitting our team into smaller groups, which would have 1:1 check-ins with him while regularly meeting with each other to track progress and clear blockers.

We’re still trying it out, but the initial results are promising. My boss now has more visibility into what everyone is working on, and that alone has made his life easier. For me, I hope this leads to a future promotion, but even more importantly, the team feels more comfortable and confident in managing their workload.

So, my advice? Speak up. Propose solutions. Don’t get frustrated if not all your ideas are welcomed right away, more often than not, they’ll be heard. Focus on fixing the small issues that no one else is addressing because, in the long run, those are the changes that will make the biggest difference. Be receptive, listen, and talk to everyone - you’ll always find feedback to help you grow personally and professionally.

Fostering micro-innovations in a team doesn’t always mean drastic change. It can be as simple as recognizing where the friction points are and suggesting small adjustments that everyone can buy into. As women and minorities in tech, our contributions don’t have to be grand to be impactful. The small things often turn out to be the game-changers.

Now, I challenge you to take that first step. Speak up in your team, offer that small improvement you’ve been thinking about, and don’t wait for the perfect solution; start with the small one. You'll be surprised at the impact it can have. Think of that one thing that has been hanging around your mind, and tackle it!