Make Waves: Be the One to Start Change at Work and in Life

Chapter 3

Conventional Wisdom About Change

While fear creates obstacles based on our view of ourselves, conventional wisdom creates obstacles based on our views of the environment. Both can keep us from taking action.

Let’s look at conventional wisdom, which has its roots in the status quo, commonly held beliefs not always based on fact, and simplistic headlines. Conventional wisdom can run counter to the environment needed for a wave, so be on the lookout for it in your situation. It can consist of simple beliefs such as “Only senior leaders can sell to our customers,” “They’ll never hire a woman to work in that job,” or “We want to avoid any negative comments online by our customers or employees.”

“Conventional wisdom” is a term used to describe ...