LawDroid founder and access to justice advocate Tom Martin has seen a lot of organizational organizational inertia in his day:
People keep doing the same things they’re doing. They keep buying from the same company. They keep wanting to use their tools in the same way.
Inertia is powerful indeed. I’ve found one small way to push against this. I tell every new hire:
“Your fresh eyes are valuable. You will notice problems and opportunities that may not be obvious to people who have been here five years. Make a note of them. We’ll talk in a few weeks, and then again in a few months.”
When new employees suggest better approaches, it’s often gold. Encourage them. The ability to see beyond “the way we’ve always done it” is a rare treasure.
Especially when you are willing to listen before those fresh eyes become accustomed to the scenery.