Organizations Do Not Become Complacent, People Do

Complacency is dangerous for progress and development of any entity, but it usually does not start with that entity. It starts way before, in our development as individuals.

Introduction
In Academy Award winning feature „Whiplash“, there is a scene where teacher tells a student that two most dangerous words in English language are „good job“. Meaning that every critique should be given to its full extent, no sugar coating. His point being that if someone is not told a bluntly honest feedback, she/he may not take it seriously and would not continue to work on oneself. Although the methods in the scene and the entire movie are highly controversial and debatable, I will just use it to refer to another set of “dangerous words” for progress. I’d say that the most dangerous words for progress and development of oneself as well as for organization are: “…and then you are set”.
Meaning: Ok, just do this and then you are set, you do not have to work anymore, you do not have to try anymore. After you achieve “that something”, life will give you your share as you have deserved it. You are entitled. You do not have to do anything anymore.
These dangerous words are endangering progress of an individual, a group or the entire organizations as well as societies. These words are the words of complacency.

Complacency is fed early
Interestingly, first time in my life I’ve heard these words was not in Croatia, as one would maybe have expected it, but I’ve heard them in the USA. I’ve heard them from an Army recruiter that came to a high school I’ve attended. This recruiter was telling students why they should join the army. One of the main arguments was that once they join, the life will be “all set” for them. He emphasized how he had a job, a house with no mortgage and retirement waiting for him.

Now, if these words would have been said in the “retirement” stage of a person: ok, maybe, but just maybe that would be valid. But very frequently this is told to people at some stage where they really are not even close to their “retirement” but need to start working hard and preparing for life (as in the example above: in a high school).

Second time I heard these words was when I started my university studies. And often, this is something that is told to students at the beginning of their studies (i.e., college studies): “Just finish college and then you will be all set”. Then it is said when one is looking for a job. “Just get a job at that company and then you are all set.” Or it is said when one is trying to get into a leadership position: “Just get to a position of a manager and then you are all set” etc.

Many times, when we are at the beginning of a journey, we are promised: “Just do this and then you are all set”. When you get there, you are all set. We are told to look forward to the goal and not to enjoy the journey.

Is there a time to be “all set”?
Allow me a remark on the “retirement” case mentioned in the above paragraph. But what “retirement” really means? Can we stop working on ourselves even then? Probably not. Progress should be always pursued, in a different way in a different stage of life, surely — but pursuing of a new knowledge, experiences, accomplishments keep us alive and human. So, I would argue that even in “pre-retirement” stage no one should “lure” us with the words: just one more step, and then you are all set.

Complacency attracts and perpetuates complacency
For complex social constructs, such as business entities are, this mindset is so detrimental. The organization that stops changing and innovating, not only that it perishes at the end, but that road to that end is so difficult and painful for all those participating in it. It is a painful journey with a painful end.

Organizations will become complacent once critical mass of people within it becomes complacent. Furthermore, complacency attracts and perpetuates complacency. Once your company is labeled as such: “here you do not have to work, you can just have a job”, it starts attracting more and more people looking for such environment. It attracts people with “and then you are all set” mindset and hence, it enters death spiral of complacency. It has been caught in complacency trap. If such organization ever had a vision, it probably faded away. All employees do in such complacent places, is look how more complacent they can be and this drives organization further towards being complacent.

Organizations, ventures, companies are never intrinsically complacent — as they were all founded to solve some problem, to create some solution. People looking for complacency overwhelming such organizations are the ones creating them to be so: nests of complacency. And it all started with someone somewhere, at the beginning of some employees’ careers, telling them: “… and then you are set”. “Just get into that company… and then you are set.”

Breaking complacency circle
Companies are not complacent, people are. People in those companies made companies complacent. Don’t make your company be a company that attracts complacency.
That is why it is important to teach our people that there is no “end”. That it is the journey that should be enjoyable and meaningful. That only change is continuous and that we all must strive for continuous progress.

“The only thing that is constant is change.” Heraclitus

We have to teach this from the early days. From school to retirement. But also, we have to teach our people that progress can sometime be slow, and that patience is required.

The success of any organization depends on its people. It is important that company accepts and understands how dangerous are words symbolizing complacency: “and then you are set”. As you never can be “set” and if you think that you can be, you will most likely be overtaken by the competition or will become irrelevant in some other way.

Conclusion
Invest in yourself continuously, learn, read, look for new experiences and never stop.
Furthermore, look for the environment (organization) that continuously innovates and that cherishes culture of continuous learning. In such environments, chances of you becoming complacent and much less. Look for a place that will not allow itself to fall into complacency trap.