The “scientific” proof of Blue Monday was just a PR stunt to get people to book their holidays early, but I’m sure that for many of you the feeling is still close to the truth regarding your organization.
The enthusiasm of a fresh start after the holidays is gone.
You’ve already made the first exception to your “rigorous” focus this year, because “it’s a loyal customer and we need to build this feature for them” or “this is an opportunity we can’t miss”. (And each one felt reasonable. Because it always is.)
The first “problems” were thrown your way. Some team members complained that we’ve always done it “that way”. And around today, most of you know what organizational inertia feels like.
You have – again – realized that changing the organization is harder than writing the strategy.
The “Saddest Day” for any organization is effectively the day the Status Quo wins.
→ The old priorities pull everything back into place.
→ The old language keeps winning.
→ The old defaults take over the decisions.
If that pattern feels familiar, you’re not alone. I’ve seen it in companies of all sizes across all industries.
When you look at what the best leaders do now, one thing’s pretty clear to me: You don’t need a new strategy, more training, and definitely not more announcements.
You need a very clear signal that the Status Quo is truly done. Words that make it feel harder to do the old thing than to do the new thing.
The newest premium essay on “What the Best Leaders Say” is about finding those words. It’s called “Escaping the Inertia Trap”.
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So, will you escape the inertia trap this year?
Keep lighting the path,
Michael
