I don’t think people really like to make choices. Maybe if we honestly saw — and considered — the number of choices in front of us everyday, it would overwhelm us.

So people like to “simplify”. Sometimes, they develop habits — they have the same breakfast or run the same route or watch the same TV shows just so they don’t have to think about it. Other times people decide that the method they have learned — to pay bills or manage people or create a strategic plan — is the only “right” way. People also become closed minded, clinging to opinions even in the face of new information — deciding to devalue the data rather than have to revisit their conclusions.

The trouble comes when what they are doing isn’t delivering the results they want. That creates the uncomfortable idea that they may need to do something differently, to once again face the uncertainty of re-thinking or re-looking or re-learning. People fight it — especially in the business world where they are so uncomfortable showing what they don’t know or aren’t (yet) good at.

However, when you think about it, we can only create what we have already seen. If you (or your company) is taking on development of a NEW product or service, why should it be a surprise that old ways don’t work? And what if you want MORE than what you got the last time you did something — wouldn’t that require you to DO something differently?

Still, people fight the need to change. They believe in order to do so they must admit they were “wrong” or that someone else had a better idea. They may fear looking bad or having someone who knows more about the new approach have the power or advantage. They may just not trust that someone else with a new approach really has a pure agenda, wants the same good results they do. Unfortunately, this may result in them putting more energy into the fight, into criticizing the new way or distrusting the person who brings it.

Is this you? I read a great quote in a book once…”what are you pretending not to know?” Are you pretending not to know that what you are doing isn’t working? Are you pretending not to know someone else has a more objective view, or a better approach, or a more original idea? Most importantly, is it really more important to you to be right, or in control, rather than to be successful?

The easiest way to learn something new, to develop additional skills, to master a new approach, is to partner with someone who already knows how to do it. Sure, it might feel uncomfortable to learn — or it might be fun!