Avoid the Complacency Trap

Every organization has to watch out for the complacency trap. Whether it’s government, big business, or even small business, we all have to beware of getting stuck doing the same old thing, and really getting nothing done at all.

Our natural tendency is to get comfortable doing things one particular way. In business, we sell one particular product or service to one type of customer using one type of marketing strategy. It’s working at a level that is comfortable, so we get tunnel vision on keeping things on that one particular track.

But it’s a mistake not to push ourselves to get smarter and try new things.

I get reminded of this all the time. No matter how long you’ve been in business, it is easy to slip into habit and routine and stop thinking creatively and innovatively. We can work so hard to find something that works, and then once we find it we just stop everything. If you find something that works, great! That’s why you’ve been trying so many things in the first place. But you can’t stop trying new ideas and thinking creatively.

We have a tendency to assume that these are “big business” problems—it’s the big businesses that get stuck in a rut and keep doing the same old things. But the reality is that it can just as easily happen to a small business. We notice it when a big business grows complacent, because their very size makes it possible for them to stay in the spotlight as we see them slowly fade. But it happens to small businesses, too—but we don’t notice it as much because those businesses don’t linger, they disappear.

Standing still is not an option. Staying relevant in a changing world is a difficult task, and it requires us to constantly keep moving, trying new things, and learning. It takes hard work, and there are no silver bullets.

Don’t get complacent—keep moving forward toward your goals!

This article was originally published by AMAC SBS