Why “We’ve Always Done It This Way” Is Killing Your Business

It usually shows up like this:

• A new hire asks a question. The answer? “That’s just how we do it here.”
  
  
• Someone challenges a process. The response? Shrug. “It’s always been that way.”
  
  
• A leader senses something’s off. But instead of exploring, they push forward — faster, harder, louder.
  
  

And just like that, the chance to evolve dies.

“We’ve always done it this way” sounds like stability.

But it’s often just fear — dressed up as tradition.

Fear of change.
Fear of discomfort.
Fear of seeing the truth about what’s no longer working.

We get it. Change is risky.
But so is stagnation.

When you silence curiosity, you stall innovation.
When you defend old systems, you suffocate new leadership.
And when you ignore what your culture is trying to tell you, your best people quietly opt out.

If you're leading a team, ask this question:

Is what we’re doing still working — for the business and for the people inside it?

If the answer isn’t a resounding yes, you’ve already outgrown the old way.

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At MacklinConnection, we work with leaders who are tired of clinging to what used to work — and ready to build the skills to create something better.

Because culture doesn’t shift with a policy. It shifts when leaders change how they listen, trust, and lead.

Schedule a free coaching conversation with Ron or Deb.
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You’ll be amazed what opens up when you stop doing it “the way it’s always been done.”

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