Seth Godin recently wrote a post called Defending the Status Quo.

This made me ponder, why are people so fascinated with the status quo?

To define it, Merrian-Webster uses the simple phrase “the existing state of affairs.”

Where the Urban Dictionary provides us with “the way things are right now.”

The words I want to focus on are “existing” and “right now.”

Right now can be defined as the period of COVID-19, the month of August, the 12th of August, the afternoon of August 12th, or 16:37.00 hrs PST on August 12th.

So, when people are looking at defending the status quo, what are they defending? Is it right now, or the idea of what that person, or group of people, believe is happening in a precise moment in time and do not want that to change?

As I have written before, people do not like change, but it is up to all of us to embrace it.

Status quo is a myth. The world is continually changing, whether we realize it or not. Sometimes quickly and abruptly, but most of the time incrementally at a pace that is usually not noticed until we look back and reflect.

Technology is changing, information is changing, and methods of communication, business, and social interaction are changing. It is up to every one of us to realize what those changes are and how they affect our world and those who surround us.

Ignoring change is not an option. It is happening around each of us whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. The last four months have proven that.

If you had asked any of us in December 2019 what it would be like to one day be working at our offices normally, and the next day to be sent home without a plan, without a strategy, and without an understanding of when we would be back, none of us would have believed it.

But it happened.

And none of us would have believed how divisive a small piece of cloth over our faces would be.

However, all of these things happened in a moment in time and, without consulting us, changed our status quo forever.

So, what is your status quo?

What are the things you are hanging onto, as if life depended on it, that are holding you back mentally, physically, and emotionally?

What are the ideas and ideals that you are holding onto that may have had relevance at another time and another place, but when looked at dispassionately through the lens of where you are and where you want to go, are impeding your success?

What are your “sacred cows?”

Now is the time to evaluate your life, your company, and your beliefs.

Now is the time to think about “what can be” and not lament about “what was.”

We should not forget about our past – it is ours, and it is important. However, the past is there to learn from. To see what worked, what didn’t, what should be augmented and changed, and what should be abandoned.

Like a good spring cleaning, this is something we should do regularly: Assess where we have been, where we are, what we have learned along the way, and where we want to go.

We need to assess what we need to learn, do, and who we need to align ourselves with to get there.

Status quo is like a warm blanket. It surrounds us, gives us comfort, keeps us warm, and protects us; however, it can also be used to smother us if we are not careful.

I challenge each person reading this to take the time and write down the answers to the following questions.

  • Where do I want to go?
  • What am I doing today that is holding me back from achieving that goal?
  • How am I going to change my life to make that goal a reality?
  • What do I need to learn?
  • Who do I need to learn from or align myself with?
  • Who can I share this with to make their lives better?

Answering these questions honestly should inform how you move forward, helping you to consider your right next steps.

Here is wishing everyone health, safety, and long-term success.

Connect with Ben HERE to discuss how to provide your people with the skills and mindset they need to lead teams effectively into the new normal.