Status Quo Defense, Is That Your Position?
Have you ever witnessed a status quo defense? Have you been a person who delivered one?
Change is happening all around you, even though the first thought is often a defensive posture.
That will never work.
We can’t do that because we don’t have the resources.
It is too expensive, we can’t pass the cost along. It will weaken our margin.
The status quo defense is common. Is it always appropriate?
Status Quo Defense
What changes are you attempting to protect against?
Is it technology?
A face-to-face is always better than a Zoom.
The newspaper, in print, is better and easier to read when compared with an online app.
Going to the movie theatre is much better than catching a movie on a digital stream.
Is change really about the risk of going backwards or is it more about the feeling of risk attached to the unknown?
All change involves emotion. There is often a gut feel, a weighing of risk, and the insecurity of the unknown.
A list of pros and cons might be helpful, but suddenly emotion and framing start to tarnish the attempt at honesty and facts.
Business meetings and strategy sessions often attempt to unveil something new. Something new means change and change often sparks a status quo defense.
You decide on what is most helpful, but quick and thoughtless reactions might leave you stuck or falling behind.
Debates create winners and losers. The other side of the coin is that without debate there may be complacency.
You’ll likely take a position.
Remaining neutral is a status quo defense.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
