Breaking the mold

Why "we've always done it this way" kills progress

In the business world, there’s a phrase that manages to frustrate me more than just about anything: “We’ve always done it this way.” For those of us striving to create efficiencies and drive excellence, this simple sentence is a stone wall that stands between where we are and where we could be. The worst part? It’s a phrase uttered far too often. We’ve all heard it before, likely in meetings where change feels like pulling teeth. And to be honest, it’s usually said by well-meaning people who might not realize just how limiting those six little words can be.

But let’s face it: commercial excellence is not built on the back of old habits. If anything, sticking to outdated processes is a surefire way to plateau rather than excel. And trust me, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when you let this mindset fester too long.

How I Learned to Challenge the Status Quo

In one of my past roles, I walked into an organization where things weren’t exactly running smoothly. Let’s call it "a work in progress"—you know, the type of place where duct tape and good intentions were holding the processes together. What I quickly realized was that some of the biggest bottlenecks weren’t necessarily the lack of resources or time, but rather, the stubborn clinging to “how things have always been done.”

I remember a particular process involving the sales team. They were using an outdated system to track leads that required way too much manual input and even more patience. The team was drowning in paperwork, and sales meetings felt like Groundhog Day—each week, the same discussions about the same inefficient processes. I quickly realized that this wasn’t just an inconvenience; it was actively costing the company money and productivity. But when I proposed a streamlined, automated solution, the initial response was, "But we’ve always done it this way."

That phrase. Again.

Now, I could have accepted that and gone about my day. But accepting "good enough" isn’t really my style. So I did what anyone passionate about optimization and growth would do—I pulled apart the current process to see where the gaps were. The solution was simple enough: an automated system that freed up hours for the sales team to focus on actually selling. And guess what? It worked. Sales went up, team morale improved, and, importantly, no one missed those old Excel spreadsheets.

Why "Good Enough" is Never Good Enough

Here’s the thing: commercial excellence is about more than just improving what’s already there. It’s about refusing to settle for anything that doesn’t move the needle forward. And yes, that sometimes means challenging the processes that people have clung to for years. In my experience, this unwillingness to let go of outdated methods often comes down to a fear of change.

I get it. Change can feel uncomfortable, especially when you’ve been doing something for a long time. But growth lives in discomfort. Without it, you get stagnation—products become irrelevant, market share slips, and that once-innovative company finds itself struggling to keep up with more adaptable competitors.

One of the most significant lessons I’ve learned is that excellence is an evolving concept. Just because something worked yesterday doesn’t mean it’s going to work tomorrow. Take it from someone who’s seen both sides—working in environments where innovation thrived and places where stagnation slowed everything down to a crawl. Guess which one led to better results?

The Role of Data and Technology in Moving Forward

A major game-changer in pushing past the "we’ve always done it this way" mindset is data. Numbers don’t lie (and they certainly don’t cling to outdated processes). If something isn’t working as efficiently as it could be, data will highlight it. One of the simplest yet most effective changes I implemented involved moving to more data-driven decision-making. In one instance, using real-time data to track sales and marketing performance gave us insight that the old, manual process could never offer.

Armed with that data, I could present concrete evidence that the current way of doing things wasn’t just a minor inconvenience—it was a major business inefficiency. Suddenly, the conversation shifted from “We’ve always done it this way” to “How soon can we start implementing the new process?”

A (Semi-Humorous) Plea for Change

Now, I’m not saying we should throw out every process just for the sake of change. I’m also not advocating for endless "reinventing the wheel" meetings (trust me, I’ve sat in enough of those). But if a process isn’t actively contributing to growth or efficiency, it’s probably time to question it.

So, here’s my plea: the next time you catch yourself or someone else muttering, "We’ve always done it this way," take a pause. Ask yourself—is this still the best way? Because the truth is, just about every breakthrough I’ve been a part of didn’t come from doing things the way they’ve always been done. It came from stepping outside that comfort zone, throwing out the manual, and asking, how can we do this better?

In fact, some of the most rewarding experiences of my career have come from dismantling systems that were working just fine—but not great. If you want to make an impact, you can’t be afraid to change direction, even if that means letting go of the past. The beauty of it all is that the greatest innovations usually don’t come from knowing how to do everything perfectly—they come from being curious and asking, “What if we did this differently?”

Final Thoughts: Stagnation is Not an Option

As I look back at my experiences, particularly in environments where change felt like a four-letter word, I can confidently say that stagnation has never been the path to success. Excellence, on the other hand, is always a result of continuous improvement and challenging old habits. And that’s the kind of mindset I bring to every project I take on.

So, if you’ve made it this far and you’re wondering whether your processes could use a refresh, I’ll leave you with one question: Are you aiming for good enough, or are you aiming for excellence?

Because trust me, there’s a big difference.