Are You Questioning the Status Quo
Are You Questioning the Status Quo?
Perhaps one of the most crucial—and most difficult—aspects of being a leader is the need to continually question the status quo. Most of us don’t like constant change but we risk losing out on opportunities to grow if we refuse to consider alternatives.
A few years ago a friend and fellow introvert told me he thought that questioning the status quo was difficult for introverts. Of course he was speaking from his own experience but I too have found myself afraid to speak up when the stakes were high.
Looking back I realize that this was situational and that it was most difficult to for me to speak up when I was in in a management meeting and I was competing with other managers. Perhaps my voice was too quiet or I hadn’t yet “found my voice” or my confidence. Perhaps I didn’t feel safe in speaking up against decisions that were being made by people in more senior leadership positions.
A recent review of an online thesaurus provided the following synonyms for challenging the status quo:
- cause trouble,
- complain,
- protest,
- disagree,
- make waves, etc.
If these are the words that are reserved for people who do speak up then it’s no wonder that many of us prefer to keep quiet.
Of course there were other situations when it was easier for me to challenge the process—when I was urging my own team to reach higher goals or develop new programs or services or when I was challenging myself to learn something new.
I first came across the concept of challenging the status quo or process in The Leadership Challenge written by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.
In their book the authors focus on two main areas: searching for opportunities and experimenting and taking risks. It can be risky to speak up but if you are fortunate to work in an organization that recognizes and rewards you for challenging the process your job will be that much easier.
Change can evoke feelings of fear or powerlessness. But it is also a fact of life and leaders are in the business of helping people and organizations change successfully. What can we do to prepare ourselves and the people who work in our organizations? Start by preparing yourself. Answer the following questions and then discuss your answers with your boss or with a coach or colleague.
STOP & REFLECT
Why is challenging the process difficult? Is it more difficult for introverts than for extroverts?
When have I challenged the process? Was I successful? What did I learn about myself?
In what situations would I find it easy to challenge the process?
In what situations would I find it difficult to challenge the process?
How can I make it both safe and rewarding for others to speak up and suggest improvements or changes?
Challenging the status quo is one of the most powerful skills that we can learn. I’d like to leave you with a quote from Lolly Daskal who reminds us: “Don’t challenge for challenge’s sake; learn from the experience.”