What could Changing Corporate Culture, Breaking Bad Habits, Paw Prints in the Snow all have in common? It is difficult to change culture, change habits or create new paths in snow. I was watching our cats walk through the snow and was amazed to see only one path of tracks. Each of the cats placed their paws in the existing paw print in front of them. There was only one track even though they had used the path many times. How similar to corporate culture and bad habits. The path of least resistance has us as employees or individuals doing the same thing over and over again. Many times we follow the path and are oblivious to the fact that we are even on a path at all. For corporations and individuals to change, we need to leave the existing path and forge out in a new direction. What does this imply?
The path will be hard to tread.
There may be no guideposts for us to follow.
We will be tempted to go back to the old path.
On the bright side, if we are willing to stick it out, the new path will finally become routine. We will become familiar with the new process / policy / procedure / habit and it will be just as easy to follow as the old path. However, we need to remain in the new path for quite a while for it to become routine. Some people will suggest that a minimum of 21 days are necessary to change a personal habit. Corporate Culture can take years to change. It's time to strike out on a new untraveled path!
Copyright 2011 - Jim Lindell