As this pandemic has taught us, agile organizations are the ones who are able to weather the storm and redefine their paths forward while fixed companies struggle with the change. Why?

In psychological terms it's called plan-continuation bias or, as the American Psychological Association defines it, "the tendency of people to continue with an original course of action that is no longer viable."

It's the kind of mindset that leads ship captains to run into icebergs, and airline pilots to crash in storms they should avoid. People who feel intense pressure to get the job done or who feel social stresses to not appear weak make stupid choices even when there is every indication that staying the course will end badly.

I meet executives with this tanker mentality. They believe their role is to keep the machine rolling on the course they set long ago. They argue that staying the course has always worked in the past, so why change now? Why? Because the world has changed and so, very likely, should the company.

This may call for new executives who can flex in the moment and guide the company to new types of success. They may not be tankers, but speedboats.

If you need help with company or brand change, let's talk.