“The stone age did not end because we ran out of stones; it ended because we invented new tools.” former Saudi oil minister, Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani
What a wonderful insight into common sense. Let’s see how it applies to business. In my work, I find, over and over, that one of the most difficult things for people to do is to accept change. Frequently, when a new problem arises, because of the accelerated rate of change in today’s world, people are afraid to try something new—reaching outside their comfort zone. They reach for old approaches and old thinking hoping to solve the problem in a more comfortable and predictable way. In other words, they reach for the “stones” rather than embracing a new “tool”, or way of thinking. Here’s a visual for you: the next time you experience yourself having trouble letting go of a stone in order to grasp a new tool, think of yourself in a meeting, dressed in an animal skin, and everyone else is in modern clothing. Make you want to leave the stone age? I thought so.
Good luck on your journey (and wardrobe check)!
