But We’ve Always Done It This Way!

16 Sep But We’ve Always Done It This Way!

When was the last time you heard someone say, “We’ve always done it this way”? It was probably said with good intention, and in the day-to-day business world, relying on a tried-and-true approach is often a harmless, natural course of action.

However, times change, businesses change, technology changes, and it is important to look at processes and make sure that they still make sense. This is not to say that you should fix things that aren’t broken, but rather that you should take a step back and review how things happen and be open to the possibility that there is room for improvement. Things to consider:

1. Technology has come a long way, there is probably a better, cheaper, faster solution to many older software packages for example.
2. Compliance is an ever growing issue for a wide variety of businesses, ensuring your business creates SOPs taking this into account can save you some serious headaches down the road.
3. Scaling a business isn’t just about bringing in more money (Although that helps!), it also requires changes in how things are performed. Be aware that what worked for your team of 20 might not for your team of 50 (or 1000).

The take away here is not to solve problems that you don’t have, but rather that you should consider the possibility that what once worked, no longer does. A streamlined business is one that is constantly assessing itself and ensuring its operations are under control. If you are doing something, it should be because it supports your business goals, and not simply because that’s the way it has always been done.

When companies embrace a culture of change, they maximize their potential. It isn’t about change for the sake of change. Identifying opportunities for organizational transformation takes some finesse. 

Perhaps most importantly, though, creating a culture of change means developing your people. By empowering your team to approach their day-to-day with careful consideration — and an eye for change — you can transform “We’ve always done it this way” to “What can we do better?” 

In order to do this successfully, you need to provide your teams with the skills to identify the possibilities for change and give them the tools to do this effectively.

Our Lean Academy introduces key individuals from your organisation to Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. We train and mentor them to complete process improvement projects quickly and effectively and delivering a significant return on investment to your business.