We've Always Done It That Way...
We've Always Done It That Way... I heard that phrase this week.... "We've always done it that way." It was interesting, in an academic way, to observe the group I was with in the aftermath of those words. I could actually see the body language of people change; people looking off screen, slumped shoulders, leaning back in their chairs. One sentence unintentionally stifled discussion and disempowered the team from being curious and creative. Something to consider... I share the following story with new teams and leaders sometimes.... A scientist conducted an experiment in which they locked 5 monkeys in a room with a ladder. On the top of that ladder the scientist placed fresh bunch of bananas. Now every single time a monkey touched that ladder (because who wouldn't climb a ladder for a delicious bananas?) the scientist would spray all 5 monkeys with ice-cold water. After a while the monkeys learned their lesson and left the bananas alone! Not long aft...