“It’s not the strongest of the species to survive, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin.
The theory of evolution can be surmised with this above quote: that adapting to change and thriving in the environment you’re in is the best way to survive.
Sure, our industry has coped with much change, particularly around legislation, and the rules of play. Having been in this industry for more than 23 years’, I have to say, however, that many things have not changed at all.
If anything, the status quo has just gotten stronger. What do I mean by that? Well, for a start, fear is still a big motivator in our industry: fear of speaking up, fear of getting it wrong, fear of losing market share, fear of doing things differently.
Now psychologists would tell you that fear is a huge component of the human psyche, and a big driver for many people’s actions.
Of course that is true, and nobody is immune to it. However, we as an industry seem particularly prone to it.
Perhaps it’s all the negative media attention that has attuned people to bad news and fear of the wrong sort of spotlight. That’s easy enough to understand.
It’s no doubt put pressure on people to keep their jobs and keep earning their salaries. I totally get it.
But maybe, it’s also a case of the emperor’s new clothes. Many people see things that need to change, but nobody wants to speak up, because it seems like everyone else agrees with the status quo.
So I am going to challenge myself, and you: our community. Try to look at your work through a different lens today. Challenge yourself to pick a different perspective on how things are done and explore that. Have an opinion and don’t be afraid to voice it; if you believe it, you have a right to be heard. And ignore the naysayers who want the status quo to remain. For some reason, these people have the loudest voices and the most confidence to get their message out there. These are the people who are critical on LinkedIn and social media, and those people in meetings who dominate with their way of doing things.
On the weekend I watched a movie again that has always inspired me, Dead Poets Society.
In that movie, Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) urges his students to be free thinkers: to not follow the crowd and to be independent of thought.
And most of all: to seize the day.
So I urge all of you, as I remind myself, “carpe diem.”
Our time is short. But our opportunity to make a change is great.
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