Common Mistakes To Avoid When Challenging The Status Quo
January 24, 2017
By Brian Maynor
As engaged, forward-thinking and dedicated professionals we take ownership in our work that sometimes leads to challenging the status quo. Regardless of our best intentions for improvement and innovation, often our initiatives are thwarted or dashed before they ever gain traction.
When this happens, not only is it disheartening; it can also affect our reputation and relationship with our colleagues and bosses. Initiative can be translated as dissatisfaction or disruption and lead to being dismissed both figuratively or literally.
Lois Kelly and Carmen Medina, authors of Rebels at Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within, studied this situation for over three years with every type and size of company from corporations to nonprofits to academic institutions and they discovered several common mistakes agents of change often make.
Here’s a breakdown of what they found:
All talk and no action. As change-makers, chances are we don’t have just one idea. Instead, we are flooded with ideas and see opportunity for innovation all around us. A common mistake is pointing out the opportunities with no follow-up or initiative. If we fall into this pattern, it won’t be long before all of our ideas are sidelined. The best way to avoid this happening is to change the approach and only present one or two ideas along with an implementation plan.
Gather support. Challenging the status quo may start with a single, strong-minded person, but affecting change usually takes a community. Frequently change-makers charge into battle alone only to crash and burn. Instead cultivate a coalition of supporters and relinquish ownership of the idea to the group. Not only will it add strength to the cause, it will alleviate any backlash or fallout. There is strength in numbers after all.
Making things more complicated than they need to be. When pitching an idea, we often feel the need to throw out as much information as possible to support our position, because we have a ‘one shot’ mentality. Instead of overwhelming the powers that be, or worse confusing them, focus on three key points: what’s at stake; what happens when the new next, and assurance of success. This should be concise and constrained to 15 minutes, allowing more time for discussion. Engagement breeds buy-in.
Quitting too soon. A common trait among challengers of the status quo is lack of patience. We are often so driven by the end result that we often throw in the towel when progress isn’t happening fast enough. This is yet another reason to engage a larger group of people behind the idea. When we feel like giving up, they can step up by reassuring us of the progress that has been made, keeping us motivated toward the big picture, or assume the mantle of responsibility.
Innovation, like revolution, takes a leader, but that doesn’t mean it’s a one-person job. Creating change has a better chance of success when there are a lot of people invested in the idea, a fact often forgotten in the excitement of possibility. It also helps to learn from other’s mistakes.
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About Brian Maynor
Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
