One of the phrases I come back to pretty often is, “We’ve always done it this way.”
That phrase gets a lot of criticism, and it’s often for good reason. If the only explanation for doing something is that it’s the way we’ve always done it, maybe it’s worth asking why we’ve always done it that way.
Sometimes it started for a good reason. Sometimes there still is a good reason. Sometimes nobody really remembers. That doesn’t automatically make the old way wrong. But it makes it worth a look.
What problem were we trying to solve? Does this still solve it? Is there another way? Is there a better way?
Years ago, I managed an ambulance service that was part of a fire company. Technically, I was the ambulance captain, although functionally the job was really emergency medical services (EMS) chief. And I didn’t do it alone. My assistant captain worked right alongside me.
Almost everything about the organization revolved around the fire company. The EMS staff were part of it, and were responsible for the lion's share of the department's income, but they were often treated like outcasts. They felt ignored. They felt disrespected. And it showed in their morale.
My assistant and I decided that things needed to change.
We worked to give the EMS division of the organization proper recognition in the fire company and in the community. We were still part of the fire company, but the EMS staff now had an identity that was their own.
There was considerable pushback from fire company members. That happens when you start questioning something that has been done the same way for a long time. But we kept moving forward. There was a solid reason for the change. There were staff and members of the community who needed us to show up for them.
Things slowly changed for the better. EMS staff morale improved. They took more pride in what they were doing. The culture improved. And the staff felt like they were respected, individually and as a group.
I gave up the captain position many years ago, but I’m still involved with the service. And it pains me that some (though far fewer than before) fire company members still lack respect for the EMS staff. No one said change was easy, or that everyone would accept it. But the changes we made helped build a firm foundation for future leaders to continue to demand the respect the EMS staff deserve.
Sometimes, that’s what showing up looks like.
“We’ve always done it this way” doesn’t automatically mean something needs to change. But it’s fair to ask why we’re still doing it that way.
I have another phrase: “It's been a while since we've changed things up.”
That one can get us into trouble, too.
But we’ll save that one for another time.
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