{"id":20081,"date":"2026-03-31T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=20081"},"modified":"2026-03-31T09:45:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:45:58","slug":"because-weve-always-done-it-that-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=20081","title":{"rendered":"Because we&#8217;ve always done it that way."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Written by Sharri Margraves, EdD, SHRM-SCP, Director of HR Organization and Professional Development<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I really disliked some parts of being a supervisor in a new land. It\u2019s hard\u2014harder than most people admit. You inherit systems you didn\u2019t design, relationships you didn\u2019t form, and histories you don\u2019t yet understand. You\u2019re expected to bring fresh thinking and respect what already exists. No leader is hired to keep things the same. That tension shows up quickly in one familiar phrase: &#8220;<strong>Because we\u2019ve always done it that way<\/strong>.&#8221; It\u2019s frustrating when change needs to happen and it feels like inertia will never give way to momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For many leaders, especially those new to an organization, this phrase can feel like a wall\u2014talk to the hand. It can feel bad\u2014an excuse, a form of resistance, or even a challenge to authority. Too often, it gets repeated outside the room as shorthand for \u201cthey don\u2019t want to change.\u201d When that happens, the phrase stops being a catchphrase to connect with others and starts casting staff in a negative light among peers, colleagues, and senior leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the reframe: <strong>Because we&#8217;ve always done it that way<\/strong> (<strong>BWADITW<\/strong>) is a valid answer. It just isn\u2019t a complete conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cWe\u2019ve Always Done It That Way\u201d Deserves Respect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When someone says &#8220;BWADITW,&#8221; they are often communicating more than just a habit and not just trying to get you to \u201cleave well enough alone.\u201d They may be signaling:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Historical constraints you haven\u2019t seen yet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Past attempts at change that failed\u2014or succeeded<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk management in a regulated or high-stakes environment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Efficiency learned the hard way<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Institutional memory that protects quality, safety, or trust<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contract or laws that must be followed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BWADITW usually reflects experience, not defiance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Organizations don\u2019t survive by accident. If something has been done the same way for a long time, it likely solved a real problem at some point. Generally, the leaders who came before you did the best they could with the situation and resources at hand. Treating BWADITW as dismissive\u2014or reporting it as obstruction\u2014erodes trust and undervalues the people who carried the organization forward before you arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Strong leaders don\u2019t shut this down; they lean in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Missed Opportunity: Not Asking the Next Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The gap of frustration isn\u2019t that someone said, \u201cBecause we\u2019ve always done it that way.\u201d<br>The gap is stopping there. When leaders don\u2019t ask follow-up questions, three things happen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Staff may feel dismissed and become less likely to share insights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leaders miss operational intelligence that could accelerate improvement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Narratives form that position staff as resistant rather than knowledgeable.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>BWADITW should be treated as an open door, not a closed one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Questions That Elevate Everyone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few simple, powerful follow-ups that increase collaboration and effectiveness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Does this still work well today?<\/strong><br><em>Signals respect for the past while opening space for evaluation.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What works best about the current approach?<\/strong><br><em>Identifies strengths worth preserving.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Where does this process struggle?<\/strong><br><em>Invites honesty without blame.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you could change one thing, what would it be?<\/strong><br><em>Empowers staff as contributors, not critics.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What do you think our stakeholders would value most here?<\/strong><br><em>Re-centers the conversation on purpose and impact.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What constraints should I understand before we consider changes?<\/strong><br><em>Demonstrates humility and systems thinking.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These questions do two things at once: They validate the work of those who have been there\u2014and they create momentum for thoughtful improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick Tips for Leaders When You Hear BWADITW<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Pause your reaction<\/strong>. Annoyance is a signal to get curious.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assume positive intent<\/strong>. Most people want the organization to succeed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Document what you learn<\/strong>. Institutional knowledge is an asset.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Separate \u201calways done\u201d from \u201cmust be done.\u201d<\/strong> Not everything old is sacred\u2014but not everything new is better.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Share credit<\/strong>. When improvements happen, name the people whose insight made them possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Model how you talk about staff<\/strong>. How you describe these moments to others sets cultural norms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Change causes people to be fearful<\/strong>\u2014what if you eliminate their job?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trust must be built over time<\/strong>. Building respectful cultures will help you get there faster.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moving Forward Together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Honoring experience and driving change are not opposites. The most effective leaders do both\u2014simultaneously. They recognize that progress doesn\u2019t come from dismissing the past, but from building on it with intention. Remember the adage, slow is fast and small is big when thinking about improvements, aka \u201cchange\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When leaders elevate their skill in these moments, they send a clear message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Experience matters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Voices matter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improvement is a shared responsibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>BWADITW isn\u2019t the end of the conversation. For skilled leaders, it\u2019s the beginning of a better one. Remember that all improvements involve change, but not all change causes improvement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written by Sharri Margraves, EdD, SHRM-SCP, Director of HR Organization and Professional Development. I really disliked some parts of being a supervisor in a new land. It\u2019s hard\u2014harder than most people admit. You inherit systems&hellip; <a class=\"continue\" href=\"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=20081\">Continue Reading&#8230;<span> Because we&#8217;ve always done it that way.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":20084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0},"categories":[3],"tags":[69,86],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BWADITW-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1344&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb1fcA-5dT","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20081"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20081"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20083,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20081\/revisions\/20083"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}