Process has become identity. "That's how we do it" kills adaptation. Here's how to break calcified patterns.
High Structural Lock-In means the organization can't change how it operates, even when the old way clearly isn't working.
People's roles are defined by how things work. Changing the process threatens identity.
We invested so much in this ERP/CRM/process that changing it feels wasteful.
What worked before became sacred. The market changed; the organization didn't.
"If we change this, everything might break." So nothing changes.
Don't try to change the whole org. Create small "labs" that operate differently. Let them prove what's possible before threatening the main structure.
// Lab structure
Team size: 3-7 people
Duration: 90-day experiments
Protection: Executive sponsor shields from antibodies
Success metric: Defined before launch
For one week, log every time someone says "we have to" or "we always." Then ask: says who? What's the actual consequence of not doing it?
Before adding any new process, tool, or meeting, kill an existing one. Capacity for new requires releasing old. Make this a rule.
When people only know one way of working, they defend it. Exposure to alternatives creates openness to change.
"Let's try this for 30 days" gets less resistance than "we're changing everything." Most changes stick if they work. Make rollback easy and change becomes safe.
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