Challenge the status quo

illustration © Nuthawut | dobe stock

During a recent meeting, the topic of challenging the status quo was brought up. We were reminded how true innovation comes from questioning and challenging what’s put in front of you, not from being content with the same practices. That idea of innovation energizes me. Throughout my career, I have initiated and have been part of new ideas and systems that have come to fruition. The green industry has made significant progress in many areas, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Challenging the status quo is an essential part of the business that must be practiced regularly to continue to progress and innovate.

It’s easy to get buried in day-to-day tasks instead of challenging the status quo. Many times, we do things for so long that it is hard for us to see opportunities. We get too comfortable and stop ourselves from growing and improving. When that happens, we need to open the door and look for new opportunities. We need to control our egos to let others help us see things from a new perspective. We need to be open minded, allow change and reward new ideas to help our operations. Everything we do now was at one point an innovation. It was better then, but it might be outdated now.

How do you introduce this practice into your day-to-day operations? Here are strategies I’ve found useful to encourage an environment that’s willing to change and grow for the better:

It’s easy to get buried in day-to-day tasks instead of challenging the status quo.

Bailey Nurseries

• Ask questions such as, “Why do we do what we do? Is this still relevant in today’s world? Why are we doing it this way? Why is it breaking or stopping frequently?” By constantly reevaluating our processes and finding ways to improve our efficiency, we grow.
• Think about old processes and how they can be updated. Just because we do things a certain way now, doesn’t mean we need to continue doing it the same way forever. As far I am concerned, we are not married to any process or system. We can walk away and change anything to move our operations forward.
• Approach everyday with an open mind. When a leader is open minded, the likelihood of people bringing their ideas to your attention is higher. The ultimate goal is to foster an environment where everybody feels welcome and listened to.
• Include people when making decisions that affect them. Address their concerns and comments, but don’t allow that to stop or delay the process. Constructive criticism is helpful, complaining about a new process is not.
• Celebrate small changes. Do you need to reinvent the wheel every time? Absolutely not. It can be as little as modifying a current tool or process. I’ve found that many times, the little changes are the things that make the big impact on our operations. Once you start getting positive results, your team will get hungry for more. You and your team can create a trickle effect that becomes contagious and spreads to other areas.
• Learn how to deal with people that are content with how things are. It is not uncommon for people to have conflicting mindsets in the workplace, especially when it has to do with change. It’s on us as managers and leaders to understand that and avoid allowing those conflicts to get the best of people and our workflow.
• Understand how to sell your ideas. I learned early in my career that I needed to become a salesperson when trying to implement something new. Learn how to sell your idea to the right crowd, at the right moment and at the right place. Gather everyone who is going to be involved in this new change and make sure they’re in the same boat as you. You need to gain their trust to move things forward, otherwise it will be a challenge in and of itself. Make your idea their idea and things will go smoother. A great start is key for a smooth ride

Have all the new ideas for innovations worked? Absolutely not. We have failed many times, but failure is part of the process. It hurts when you spend so much time, energy and money, and it doesn't work the way you thought it would. It is in these moments that we should reevaluate and move on. However, when our changes make things safer and more efficient, we celebrate the victory. We thank everyone who participated for their contribution to making something beautiful happen. Even if you’re like me, who is fortunate to be part of an organization that allows people to take risks and make mistakes, it never hurts to relearn these skills as they go a long way in encouraging innovation, improving your team and streamlining your processes.