Inertia pulls businesses along even when they try to change direction and can create the illusion of activity instead of real change. Inertia is fostered by an unwillingness to question current practices and serves to justify inaction. Main causes of inertia include outdated training, unchallenged employee beliefs, inflexible systems and aging leadership perspectives. To overcome inertia, leaders should annually challenge models with staff, communicate new directions, invest in supporting the vision, and invest in personal and team development through training outside their comfort zones.

1. How to overcome the
powerful pull of inertia
Brazil
Business Strategist Roberto Lico
licoreis@licoreis.com.br

2. While the underperformance of various businesses
over the past few years has been the result of
severe changes in demand, it is also the result of a
lack of responsiveness or a slow drift away from
market needs.
In other words, it's a product of inertia.

3. Inertia really is powerful. It pulls us along, even
when we try to question direction. It gains
momentum when you are not careful, and can even
create the illusion of new activity.

4. Fostered by a lack of willingness to question what
we're doing, inertia plays into actual resistance and
helps forge a bias against change. Importantly, it
serves to reinforce and justify the futility of
response ("nothing will really change").

5. Main Reasons of Inertia
 It can be training that has not changed or evolved.
 Employee beliefs that persist and go unchallenged.
 Static product and service offerings.
 Inflexible systems and procedures.

6. Main Reasons of Inertia
 Age-old systems and procedures.
 What we value and measure.
 What we as managers and leaders of organizations
believe.

7. Challenge your models
On at least an annual basis, lead the revolution. Take
time out with your management team and
organization and tap their knowledge, perspective and
energy to ask the question "What should we do to add
value?" or "Why should we exist?"

8. Implement the change
Make sure you articulate and communicate your new
direction to your team. Seek the entire organization's
validation, suggestions and changes with regard to the
new direction. Let them own it.

9. Organize resources
Be ready to put the human, networking and financial
resources in place to support the vision. One area
where management must be prepared to make hard
changes is with marginal products and services, and
those that do not fit the new mandate.

10. Invest in yourself
You can't expect members of your management team
to challenge themselves if you won't invest time and
energy in their development and yours. Book yourself
and your team time out for training. Try something way
outside your comfort zone to overcome inertia. Often,
this "left field" inspiration yields profitable new ideas.

12. LRCL – Business Services Consulting
Roberto Lico – licoreis@licoreis.com.br

13. LRCL – Business Services Consulting
Information – licoreis@licoreis.com.br
We provide a whole range of
Business and Legal Online
Support about Brazil:
 Management and Business Strategy
 English Business Classes and Support
 Technical Translations
 On-line Lectures
 On-line Business Consulting
 Country Business Profile