Playing it safe: a silent killer
The dangers of playing it safe appear so gradually that they rarely get noticed.
It is like a slow leak in a tire, you only notice it when you are stuck. You don't have an idea of how it happened.
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People try desperately to hang on to antiquated ways of doing business because of a false sense of security. They believe that they can maintain their old ideas indefinitely, even if all evidence shows the contrary.
Questioning everything could help you to spot problems and create a culture of understanding and action.
What does this business look like in five years? What are our customers worrying about today? What will concern them tomorrow? Where are we failing to communicate? Are we capitalizing on all our strengths? What opportunities are we missing?
People naturally want to play it safe because it feels better in the short term.Â
To break through this tendency, bombard it with tough and thoughtful questions. Hold other people accountable to do the same. Then hold them accountable for strategizing and executing.
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Moving on in life is possible if you have a good understanding and knowledge of yourself.
Believe in yourself that you are able to figure out a way forward.Â
Consider utilizing the exercise below to help develop a positive story:
- Identify a successful event within the organization, or, an accomplishment by its personnel.
- Detail the actions leading up to and following the event in chronological order.
- Develop a 5 minute and 2 minute version of the story for use when speaking with your internal leadership team and personnel.
Employees often keep working in organizations that they are unhappy with. Reasons include financial pressure, like student loans or a mortgage.