We have always done it this way

When the world changes and your business does not you face the ever-present risk of being left behind in your market. It is a sign that some who is saying that is not willing to think about difficult issues and would just rather stick with what is ‘tried and true’. This actually might work in many circumstances but it is risky to sit still and to not, at the very least, think about ways to improve. As a business owner, regardless of size, you need to innovate constantly. Every day you need to be slightly better than yesterday because your competition sure will be.

The phrase “We’ve always done it this way” is one of the worst reasons to select a method of doing something. At least by itself. The phrase needs to be expanded to something along the lines of these: “We’ve always done it this way. At the time it was the best method, but now we have tools/processes/knowledge of X, Y and Z which means doing it this other way makes sense.” We’ve always done it this way. At the time it was the best method, but now there are better methods. The advantage of using these new methods is really not worth the investments needed though. At least not for now.”

“We’ve always done it this way. At the time it was the best method and there really isn’t any methods that are substantially better.” Most of the time, when we are considering something new, we end up in the second clause. And the trickiest part is to figure out what the investment actually is. Most of the time the pure monetary cost of doing something in a different way is rather low. The really big things are usually the investment in time and frustration. You usually need time to implement the new method, your employees need time to learn the new method, production usually slows down.

If your accountant sits at a desk with a candle and a quill and ink and uses a abacus, your business will be in big trouble. Sending messages by carrier pigeons, is not efficient either. I think that our worship should not be “always done it this way" either. I can appreciate a liturgical service, but I can also appreciate a Sunday evening song fest. Absolutely! Climates, culture, technology, etc are always changing. The astute entrepreneur, or business person, will be sensitive to the changes happening around them. That idea may work for a 150 year old recipe that cannot be improved upon, or the idea that using ‘The Golden Rule has always been used here’ in customer service. Many things do require change.

t is imperative especially in today’s ultra-competitive business world for a business to have the ability to adapt to ever changing market conditions. New innovative ideas should Always be on the table. Many companies have failed because they lacked the ability to adapt and innovate. The caption read, “He tried to change the order of the church service!” All groups encounter “we've always done it this way!” It can lead to stagnation, boredom, and a lack of creativity. But as Christians, we need to remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and always. The truth found in the Bible is unchangeable as God Himself. May God grant us His wisdom to cling to His truth and hold that which are merely traditions very loosely. Not the other way around.

I will illustrate it this way..:If you give ten people a banana and ask them to peel it, about 8 out of 10 people will peel it wrong.The 8 will have peeled it starting with the stem which is wrong.Look to the monkey and the other 2 people to show you it should be peeled from the opposite side or bottom of the banana which is correct and easy..you then peel it cleaner/faster and then the stem will become the handle so to speak. Those 8 people will all exclaim “I have always done it this way"..yet all be wrong. Try it both ways to prove the point or with a few people!

Times change and business practices often change with those times. Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn’t make it right. As a consumer, would you rather purchase something interest-free for a period of time or pay interest after a grace period or even worse, from the date of purchase? Would you prefer to pay for shipping or receive it free? What about re-stocking frees? One can always avail him or herself of the services of a competitor who may be more customer-friendly. In medicine, for example, the same observation would apply to bloodletting or boring holes in a person’s skull to cure a headache. The fact that it was done that way certainly didn’t make it right.

We have a planning process each year. The first step is “what can we drop?” This is typically the hardest question to answer for my team! My roots came from Finance, so sometimes changes to processes can be difficult which is why we ask this question first. How can we take on new things if we don’t let go of something. If we can’t drop it or change it, the next question is “How do we automate it?” Doing what you have always done, if it isn’t working will run you into the ground. Even if it is working, can it produce even more results with continuous improvements! We always push the envelope!!

It is my business. I have been in business long enough for the (I imagine) true “we’ve always done it this way”. Hence the word “always”. If it has worked for me in the past perhaps there is no need to change. If I notice a change detrimental to me then a change might be in order. Customer input is always valuable. I forgot to ask, how did you come by me? Oh, word of mouth and convenience? Enough said. And strictly inhabiting the old ways, closes the door to new opportunities and bright thinkers and doer’s that can change your business around and see new and exciting ways of doing things faster, easier and cheaper.

It speaks to the fact that your business does not consider innovation, new ideas, new approaches, new opportunities as essential to ensuring that your business remains competitive and is aiming for a bigger slice of the pie. ‘We’ve always done it that way’ might appeal to the old guard, but your ability to grow your business rests almost squarely on attracting new business, the new generation of clients/customers, who are a lot more demanding than their predecessors. You will not survive if you hold onto a primitive approach to business. ‘We’ve always done it that way’ will not take you very far. Cheers!