The Enemy Of Breakthrough....
The enemy of breakthrough is STATUS QUO...
This is not another article about Covid either...it is about mindsets, attitudes, risk and reality.
Most, if not all of us, have heard the phrase "Good is the enemy of great" (Jim Collins, Good to Great) has long been used to help management, employees, entrepreneurs and educators alike who are all seeking ways to improve morale, productivity, culture or pick your topic that needs shaken up with the hope to make things better.
"Good is the enemy of Great", resonates and lives on, 20 years later, in today's business lexicon as one that is true and irrefutable. Its funny how something that is true speaks clearly to so many of us if we are open to act on its principles.
I see breakthrough as the bridge transforming you or your enterprise from good to great. It is over a year ago now that I attended a networking event on a cold Saturday morning in early January of 2019, where she proclaimed 2019 as a year that was going to be one of "breakthrough" for us individually to impact our companies, families and culture...it was too. And then January 2020. From the euphoria of breaking through to the feeling of collapse or breaking down in almost every segment of society...what?
If I were to share what breakthrough means, it would be first making an effort by changing my mindset to disrupt the negative status quo in every corner of my life at work and at home....because if nothing ever changes, in me, nothing will ever change...we actually will it to happen but it has to be believed and then acted upon.
Familiar activity and methodologies based on theory and not truth will stagnate, become rigid or even irrelevant. In today's world, especially now, that is surely the "kiss of death"...just watch the news of the companies piling up in bankruptcy. The business graveyard is now over flowing with companies who failed to change because the status quo was good not great and they perished into oblivion...a good run, not a great one...next victim.
Where are the great relationships in your sphere of influence you can encourage to keep going, pressing the envelope, suggesting new ideas and who are not afraid to try even if it doesn't work?....As an old mentor of mine used to say: "there is success and then there is learning, failure is not an option"....his view is you get back up and try again but learn from your experiences because sustained greatness never happens quickly....breakthrough has to happen first. How many times did Edison try before inventing the light bulb?
Breaking the status quo is not for the faint of heart either...many do it afraid of the repercussions buy they do it anyway. That is where many leaders fall short. How many so called leaders do you know who fear change, avoid new responsibilities, perpetuate the routine and dismiss new ideas to consider another way? Because it actually threatens their security, comfort zones and positions of influence?
A new leadership paradigm is starting to emerge of one who will engage, equip and encourage others to join in and to listen to those voices who were silent for way too many years.
NOW is the time to take that chance...its only going to get worse (sadly) so your risk is low but your return can save your job, your firm or you employees and their families too.