One of my favorite Will Rogers quotes is: “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” And this is so applicable to what we are seeing in too many businesses today. In fact, it has been a major topic of conversation in the coaching of one of my major clients that is very concerned with complacency in their company. Complacency can be absolutely poisonous to businesses chances for success. Complacency is confirming that you and your business are in a rut and you have decided to stay there. Well, just as Will Rogers warns us about sitting on the right track and getting run over, if your business stays in a rut it too will remain stuck and will get run over too.
Now, let’s look at what happens to us when we are not complacent, but are really in a challenging situation. Think about how your senses are heightened and how you experience a rush of adrenalin that gives you an energy boost. And wouldn’t you agree that it is amazing how efficient and successful we can become when we recognize and act in response to the challenge? So why do we wait for those dire circumstances to kick us out of complacency?
Wherever complacency exists in a business, there will be great resistance to change. We know that certain changes in the human body will trigger the body’s immune system. Well, the same thing happens within businesses and organizations. Only in this case, it is people who resist and try to fight off the change. Resistance can be good if it defends the health of your business, but resistance can do serious damage or may even prove fatal if the resistance is against desperately needed changes in your business.
How can we identify and respond to the deadly and destructive habit of complacency? Complacency is the sense of security and comfort that derives from the belief that the success you have had in the past will continue indefinitely. Complacency loves blindness, inertia and the status quo. This powerfully destructive habit creates a formidable barrier to the successful growth of you and your business. If you or others in your business suffer from this habit, then we urges you to try one or more of the following preventions and cures immediately!
1. A clear-eyed, disciplined approach to strategic planning will go a long way in preventing complacency. Develop a clearly defined and focused vision for your business, as well as a mission statement, a list of core values or guiding principles and goals and objectives for your business. Share this with the entire company to motivate everyone to focus on achieving the vision and mission for the company.
2. Complacency is exhibited by continuing to employ under performing individuals because it appears costly to replace them. The business owner and management look at the time to interview new hires, training, the uncertainty of a new individual in the company, and many other costs associated with a new employee. But more important than these costs is the truth that, if an individual in your organization is dragging down the company or significantly impeding its growth, it is never too soon to plan and facilitate an exit for that individual and therefore thwart complacency in your business.
3. Complacency in your business marketing efforts can also result in serious
damage or even have fatal results for your business. Commit to making continual business marketing improvement for your company. Develop a strategic Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan and use that document to help drive the strategic marketing efforts of your business. This is a powerful and proven tool to keep your marketing efforts focused and on track.
4. Recruit and retain a business coach, a mentor and possibly a peer advisory group. These people will provide encouragement, guidance and motivation for you and your business to grow and to be successful and will help you and your business avoid the destructive habit of complacency.
5. Commit to holding yourself and others accountable. Develop a system of accountability by using performance standards related to the achievement of established goals and objectives. This commitment to being held accountable will prevent complacency.
6. Develop a strategic client relationship management system, which includes a plan for keeping in touch with your clients and customers, your prospects, and your stakeholders. A commitment to listen and respond to your clients and customers will not enable you and others in the company to become complacent.
7. Develop a set of goals and objectives and send a clear message that a “business as usual” or a “maintaining the status quo” attitude will not be supported and will have financial and other consequences. Develop a recognition and reward system also.
8. Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. Good customer service will help generate customer loyalty and repeat business. With each satisfied customer your business is likely to win many more customers through recommendations. And remember, if you are not taking care of your customers, your competition will. A Customer Satisfaction survey will not only help you identify problem areas, but will also demonstrate to your customers that you care and are proactive in looking for ways to improve the service that you provide to them. Complacency will not occur if you commit to developing and implementing a customer satisfaction survey program and to taking necessary actions to respond to any deficiencies in your customer service.
9. Don’t let success lull you into complacency. Continuously search for new ideas. Commit to an attitude of continuous improvement and complacency will not exist nor will it be able to survive.
10. Commit to being a lifelong learner. Obtain more education and seek out new knowledge through reading, taking a teleclass, attending a workshop or seminar or taking a college course. Seeking more education also provides opportunities to be introduced to new people and ideas, which often sparks creativity and prevents complacency.