No More Status Quo
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Lab Manager Academy: The ‘Re-Generation’ Process
We probably all have things that we say to ourselves when we are trying to push toward something new or different. Some of mine are: “Enough is enough,” “Wake up,” and “Aw, what the heck, do it anyhow.”
Written byAnn Fry
| 2 min read
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About the Author
No More Status Quo
We probably all have things that we say to ourselves when we are trying to push toward something new or different. Some of mine are: “Enough is enough,” “Wake up,” and “Aw, what the heck, do it anyhow.” The last one is to give me courage to try something new and different, especially when I have some fear or I feel stuck. We are living in challenging times. No one will deny that. People have lost jobs and huge percentages of their wealth. People who still have jobs are holding onto them with their fingers crossed that it stays that way. In some ways, with fewer options available, people are “staying put” and not rocking the boat. They are settling for “the status quo.”
Interestingly, labs are doing much the same thing. They are trying to maintain a sense of equilibrium and calm in the face of turmoil. They’re pushing people to their limits, trying to do more with less. They continue to stick a square peg in a square hole, rather than creatively figuring out how to put a round peg in a square hole. They go back to the drawing board, analyze why things might not be working, spin their wheels, and then often end up not doing anything differently. However, if what used to work is no longer working, then you have two choices. You can continue doing what you’re doing in the same old way, or you can learn how to regenerate/ reinvent yourself and your workplace.
To regenerate means to re-create, or make over; to revive or produce anew. It’s this revitalization that will keep you original, fresh and on top of your game. Here are a few tips:
- Be willing to look at how things are, tell the truth about them and then take on creating change.
- Stop doing the things that no longer work effectively. While you might not yet know what to put in their place, the truth is that you must first stop. Staying in the status quo is what causes the “stuck” places that we get into.
- Work in teams to brainstorm and harness new ideas. Allow all ideas to be on the table. Meet regularly and allow lots of input.
- Then, start trying out new things … one at a time. See how they work, get feedback and forge ahead.
Remember the exhilaration you felt when you started your career and were excited about what you could bring to the table? You were filled with passion and purpose. I invite you to re-ignite that feeling, trust that change is possible, and work with others to create new and different directions. Tough times call for creative ideas. “ReInvention” is a way to tackle the old and bring in the new. Aw, what the heck … give it a try.
Ann Fry, MSW, The ReInvention Hotshot!, is a Professional Speaker/Executive Coach and founder of “We Are Booming: Helping Individuals and Companies Reinvent at Any Age, Stage or Circumstance.” Ann can be reached at ann@annfry.com or by phone at 646-895-9295.
If you missed Ann Fry’s Lab Manager Academy webinar “The Re- Generation Process: How to Re-Energize, Re-Purpose, and Re-Invent Your Lab,” originally broadcast on Wednesday, June 1, visit www.labmanager.com/regeneration to watch the archived video.
