Moving Forward with Awareness and Intent
A culture evolved from ‘the way things are’ is more destructive than one that revolves around ‘this is the way we do things’.
What do you think?
It’s time for straight talk about the damaging effect of what is known as ‘habituation’. In other words, it’s a phenomenon that occurs when someone gets so used to something that happens repeatedly, that they tune it out. This significantly impacts workplace culture, dynamics, and performance.
The distinction between ‘the way things are’ and ‘the way things are done’ is stark. Changing ‘the way things are done’ is a function of doing, while ‘the way things are’ is a mindset. It is much more challenging to change a mindset than it is to change a pattern of activity.
The Culture of ‘the way things are’
Study after study reveals how habituation leads to disengagement and non-productivity because individuals become accustomed, bored or stressed by their environment or routine.
In a Harvard Business Review article, they define habituation as “our brain’s tendency to react less and less to things that don’t change, so that what once brought joy and meaning can stop doing so over time”.
In the article titled, ‘Why We Settle for Less While Wanting More’, Psychology Today writes,
“Volumes have been written about social and behavioral responses to cultures (at the family, community, or national levels) that “produce” an abundance of poverty (of either the emotional or monetary sort). All sorts of problems arise. Abuse, criminality, and – importantly for our discussion – apathy”.
An organization that ignores habituation fosters four cultural characteristics that impact its strategy, how it affects change and how it manages risks.
Here’s a breakdown of how habituation progresses:
- Tune Out from Reality – Individuals become so used to their environment and ‘the way things are’ that they no longer respond to (tune out) the often-negative conditions. Essentially, their mental habit allows them to get “used to things” and will then ignore them. Individuals underestimate the risks and complacency that emerge.
- Disengagement – When habituated, people feel less excited, less motivated, and less involved in their work or surroundings. This is because the environment no longer stimulates them as it once did. Complacency sets in and establishes new cultural norms over a short time.
- Non-productivity – As a result of disengagement, individuals become less productive. They invest less effort into their work, lack innovation, or go through the motions without striving for effectiveness or excellence. They accept that things are unlikely to change and that efforts are futile. They have lost all meaning and feeling for their work.
- Acceptance: “That’s just the way things are” – This characteristic has the deepest cut. It indicates resignation, loss of control and even justification for resisting change. It is most applicable in situations involving decisions, planning, risk-taking, managing and resource allocations. This exposes large groups to a collective mindset that can be powerfully disruptive. Feelings turn to negativity.
In summary, some will say these characteristics are not unusual. That’s habituation – being isolated from ‘the action’ or getting burned out from the work environment suggests that managers and management are now habituated.
Yes, it’s lonely at the top!
“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality”.
Shirley Jackson wrote that quote in the opening paragraph of her book We Have Always Lived in the Castle. The line sets the tone for the book’s exploration of themes such as isolation, psychosis, and the fragile nature of rationality. Jackson is suggesting that facing the harsh, unfiltered truths can be overwhelming and detrimental to one’s mental health.
Living constantly under intense scrutiny and with little to no respite can drive a person to madness.
This idea underlines the notion that individuals create their own versions of reality to cope with trauma, chaos and turmoil—a parallel to what happens in business.
In my work with clients, a common form of habituation that creates risk, compromises strategy and makes change difficult is the Tolerance for Persistent Negativity – One company has several team members who frequently express negative thoughts about strategic projects, management decisions, or colleagues. Initially, other team members found this behaviour troubling and discouraging. Over time, they became habituated to the negativity.
Because persistent negativity is shared, the evidence shows up in critical areas, such as:
- Erosion of Trust in Leadership: If management fails to address the ongoing negative behaviour, employees lose faith in their leaders’ ability to maintain a positive and productive work culture. This can lead to decreased loyalty and higher turnover rates. Management awareness is a huge factor here.
- Normalization of Negativity: The persistent negativity becomes normalized. New employees quickly pick up on this cultural norm and start engaging in or accepting the negative behaviour. As the team becomes more accustomed to the negativity, sensitivity vanishes. The negativity is now something they expect and ignore.
- Inhibited Innovation and Collaboration: When negativity becomes a cultural norm, team members may be less likely to share creative ideas or collaborate effectively due to scepticism or being dismissed or negatively criticized.
- Reduced Morale: Even if team members are consciously ignoring the negativity, it can still have a subconscious impact on their morale and engagement. The pervasive negativity can lead to a toxic work environment, reducing overall job satisfaction and productivity.
When I work with clients to change their patterns, I generally recommend a combination of approaches. Changing it up is important for positive outcomes.
Ideally, leaders will introduce variety, new challenges, and opportunities for employees to grow, learn and innovate, thus maintaining engagement and productivity.
Following a series of steps, I help managers systematically identify and break down patterns (including their own) that lead to habituation, fostering a more adaptive and responsive team environment.
If you’re curious if your organization experiences habituation (consciously or unconsciously), let’s discuss the options for you to bring some key members back into the vibrancy of your business.
