"If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It": A Lesson in Leadership and Respect for Stability

The saying "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" carries a weight of wisdom that transcends its simplicity. It reminds us to appreciate systems and methods that are already functioning well, cautioning against unnecessary change for the sake of change itself. Unfortunately, this advice often goes unheeded in organizations, particularly when a new manager steps in, eager to leave their mark. In their quest to prove competence or implement grand ideas, they sometimes disrupt systems that didn’t need fixing, creating more harm than good—not just to processes but to people.

I’ve witnessed this scenario unfold firsthand during my career. Each time a new manager was hired, the air in the office shifted. There was excitement, yes, but also apprehension. We all knew what was coming: changes. Not changes driven by necessity or insight, but changes rooted in the desire to assert authority and introduce "innovation." It seemed as though every new leader felt compelled to overhaul something to validate their presence.

One particularly stark memory involved a manager who arrived at a workplace that had thrived on a simple, efficient system. The workflow was smooth, deadlines were met, and employees were happy. But to our new leader, this was not enough. They wanted to "redefine excellence" by implementing a completely new structure, dismantling what had taken years to fine-tune.

The result was chaos. Employees struggled to adapt to processes that were unnecessarily complex, clients faced delays due to the learning curve, and morale plummeted. Many of my colleagues, frustrated and disheartened, chose to leave. Their resignation wasn’t because the job itself was unbearable; it was because they felt undervalued. Their expertise and experience were ignored in favor of a new system that seemed more like a vanity project than a genuine improvement.

Reflecting on these experiences, it became clear to me that the problem wasn’t the intention to innovate but the failure to recognize the value of what was already working. New managers often fall into the trap of equating change with progress, forgetting that stability is sometimes the greatest strength of an organization. What they see as "flaws" are often just unfamiliar nuances that need understanding, not eradication.

The impact of these unnecessary changes is more profound than the disruption of workflows. They disrupt lives. Employees who once thrived in their roles suddenly find themselves disoriented and anxious. Their voices are silenced, their routines upended, and their loyalty tested. For many, this leads to the difficult decision to walk away from a workplace they once loved—a decision that could have been avoided if the system had simply been left alone.

Leadership, I’ve learned, is not about proving you’re the smartest person in the room. It’s about humility and the ability to listen. A truly great manager takes the time to observe and understand the existing dynamics before making changes. They recognize that their role is to enhance what is already good, not dismantle it out of ego or impatience.

"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" is more than a cliché; it’s a principle of respect—respect for the systems that work, the people who operate within them, and the culture that keeps everything running. Leaders who embrace this wisdom create workplaces where employees feel secure and valued, fostering loyalty and excellence.

So, to every new manager reading this: take a breath. Look around. Appreciate what’s already there. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make an impact. Sometimes, the most profound leadership lies in knowing when to leave things as they are.