Hint: It’s not “This is how we have always done it!” But it is another poor excuse for avoiding necessary change.
We all know that “This is how we have always done it” is an infamous kiss of death mindset for organizations. But today, there’s one sentence that might even be worse when we take into account the connected, information-accessible world in which we live. Today’s Fast Facts video highlights this deceptive phrase and talks about why it is so dangerous.
Seth Godin said, “The best way to thrive in a world that’s changing is to change.” But for cultural organizations to truly embrace change in our new world of data and connectivity, there’s one sentence that we all need to stop saying – and the reasons why are similar to the reasons why “This is how we have always done it” is dangerous. Here are three reasons why this phrase (revealed in the video and at the bottom of this post) is dangerous for organizations:
1) This phrase is used to avoid thinking critically about audiences and strategic operations
Today, connectivity is king. When leaders say this sentence, they are usually denying trends and market data that may prove beneficial for the leader’s organization. Having access to large-scale market data can be a terrific benefit for organizations today. It helps us figure out what the market actually wants and thinks. So when a leader uses this phrase as an excuse to write off-trend data, then the leader is robbing his or her organization of an opportunity to think critically about its own audiences.
Another reason why people say this phrase is to get out of doing their job. It can be used to dodge responsibility and volley accountability to other leaders or departments. However, some of the most important duties within organizations are intertwined today, and they are everybody’s job. Essentially, this phrase can simply mean, “I am lazy.”
2) This phrase is an indicator that a leader is not open to change
The second reason why this phrase is dangerous is that it’s usually said by someone who thinks that they are open-minded to change – they’re just not open to the idea of change being discussed. (Often, this is because the idea of change being discussed is difficult for the leader to implement – or may even suggest a poor previous strategy or act by the leader.) This phrase seems to be a sign that a leader is trying to will away trends and deny the direction in which the world is moving.
Consider this: In 2012, more photos were taken than any prior year of human history. It was also the year that Kodak filed for bankruptcy. I wonder how many times executives saw digital photos on the horizon and defensively stated this phrase.
3) This phrase tends to be said by the very leaders whose institutions need it NOT to be said
Lastly – and unsurprisingly – this phrase is dangerous because it tends to be said by leaders of the very organizations that need to learn something from trend data (or something else) most urgently.
A big reason why we tend to use this phrase is because many are still using internal perspectives rather than market perspectives, and thus thinking about their organizations from a point of view that doesn’t truly exist for our target audiences. For example, leaning on nonprofit status is a bad excuse to deny data, because we know that the market is generally sector agnostic. How well you execute your mission is more important than your tax status, and, today, businesses are highlighting public service as well.
So, what is the phrase?
“That doesn’t apply to me.”
There is usually a lesson – and it’s generally worth considering, regardless of the situation. In order to change, organizations need leaders who are open to change. And people who are open to change don’t say, “That doesn’t apply to me.” They ask themselves how it does apply to them and what they can learn from a finding.
Leaders seek the applicability of a lesson – not an exception to reality.
