Evaluating our Paradigms
Unless an organization makes a conscious effort to look frequently at its paradigms and their underlying assumptions, it may operate on out-dated beliefs long after reality has changed. -Mike Larson
Mike Larson recently published an excellent article in the January-February, 2016 issue of Lift and Access. The focus is on “checking our assumptions”, our underlying beliefs of reality and how things actually are in our organization or industry.
Evaluating our assumptions has been a help to us and this article was a great encouragement to continue developing that practice. Often, it’s you, our customer who has helped us evaluate our assumptions the most. Thank you!
Please continue asking hard questions, sharing honest feedback and challenging us in areas we need to be challenged. It’s through this type of dialogue that some of our best product developments and service adjustments have resulted and where inspiration for future improvements will certainly come.
Look for Mr. Larson’s article, Check Your Assumptions, on page 6 of the January-February 2016 issue of Lift and Access or view the issue using either of the links above. Below are a few of the highlights we pulled from Mr. Larson’s article, which will be an encouragement to you.
- Paradigms guide how individuals and organizations approach living and business. They operate pretty much automatically and select the assumptions and beliefs of an organization.
- The paradigm steers the organization’s focus, structure, and functioning toward doing what it deems most important.
- Paradigm’s automatic and understood nature is their strength. It is also their danger.
- Unless an organization makes a conscious effort to look frequently at its paradigms and their underlying assumptions, it may operate on out-dated beliefs long after reality has changed.
- Companies that believe safety is an expensive, legally required nuisance that only slows down work, may miss the chance to develop effective safety programs that actually improve productivity while lowering insurance premiums.
- Check your paradigms and underlying assumptions frequently. It will help keep your operation in touch with current conditions.