Complacency Abounds

Complacency is mankind’s greatest weakness. How did I arrive at that conclusion?

Somewhere, in my past, I came across a discussion stemming from the question, What is mankind’s’ greatest weakness?

Well, lo and behold, there are several, if not many. But the question above just asks for 1 …… ONE …. the all-inclusive. If there could be 1 that forms the basis for all our other downfalls, leading to our ( yours, mine, and humanity as a whole) eventual demise. What would it be?

COMPLACENCY ….. plain and simple

For me, my best practice to prevent complacency stems from speaking and making presentations to various groups. As a speaker, one of the goals I try to meet for each presentation is to change my presentation style. That way I don’t fall into a rut and become predictable and boring.

This thought stemmed early this morning from enjoying a coffee reading the program for a convention coming up and looking over their program offering. I always go to the program offerings to see what new, innovative, and educational sessions I can take in, to perhaps learn something, meet a new speaker, or observe a new presentation technique from the feature presenters.

I compared it to several conventions and conference programs I have taken part in, in the past and thought, “Wow, this is really good”.

How many times have we seen, and continue to see, the same old – same old,  being executed round and round with little to no change, addition, or variation to the offering? It is just the same thing that has been offered and done in a been there, done that” – “Groundhog Day” scenario ( I recommend that movie, by the way).  Well, this leads to our boredom not only as partakers, but stifles us in our thinking. We fall into this complacency trap, doing the same old because, I guess, it’s just easy and the results are 99% predictable, like De-Ja-Vu.

Our Greatest Personal Weakness

Complacency is also an individuals’ greatest weakness, as we see, sometimes and luckily, not always, speakers presenting in the same way, the same technique, almost using the same words, after several manuals and hundreds of speeches. You think that after giving that many speeches, even the speaker would be bored silly, into doing something new, using different words, even throwing in a new gesture or two.

Complacency

From companies failing to innovate, and individuals failing to grow and do something new in their repertoire, complacency can be found almost anywhere. Are you complacent? If you are, why? Does it work for you? Complacency has its place, but hopefully not with you. Get out of your rut, your comfort zone and shake things up. Don’t become predictable. Learn how to change based on your environment.