A paradigm’s most basic definition is the accepted model or pattern within a school of thought. It is based on what Kuhn calls “normal science,” which is a set of beliefs based on past scientific achievements which the corresponding community accepts as the foundation for further practice. In layman’s terms, a paradigm is how a person or group thinks and how they act based on what they think. There are paradigms scattered throughout every culture, family, organization and individual, often being passed down from one person to another, generation after generation. In general, paradigms are very slow and difficult to change because in order for a new paradigm to emerge, it must replace one which has already been in place. The new must prove the older out of date, false, or irrelevant in some way, and let’s face it, humans don’t like change, and they especially don’t like being told that the things they believe are no longer valid. Paradigm change is usually filled with anxious people who are trying to hold on to treasured ways of thinking and acting which have provided them security and a sense of belonging.
All this is to say that changing someone’s way of thinking is super tough! However, without doing so, culture, nations, organizations and individuals fall into the deep pit of status quo where eventually they will decline in relevance and die out in favor of new discoveries (think of all the scientific advances that changed how people view the world), better ways of functioning (think of the shift from the industrial age to the information age) and the visionary leadership of innovators and entrepreneurs who changed how we get through each day (imagine what it would be like if Steve Jobs had believed his critics that computers would never be practical in people’s homes).
Changes in paradigms are not just for science, medicine, industry, or organizations. They are also for individuals, which may be the hardest of all to bring about. Change consultants make a fortune helping companies see the benefits and profits in changing the way they think and act, but individuals usually must do this on their own without the benefit of an expert. Sure there are tons of books to read, podcasts to download, seminars to attend and so on, but the real work of changing how we think, then making it happen in the way we behave is extremely difficult and comes down to the individual deciding that the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change, which is very difficult for most people to do.
Recently I read of a person whom I follow who came to such a moment. They made the decision to leave a lucrative job in order to pursue their higher calling. It took guts and planning, but they did it. Another person I know left a stable position and solid support system in order take on responsibilities which they knew they had been called to. It’s been a rough transition, but today he is doing what he was put on this earth to do. I know of another who is in the process of putting together their business plan to open their own shop and with it, an exit plan from the security of a regular job. The examples go on and on, and they aren’t always job related as these appear to be. Often a paradigm shift is more a matter of deciding to change our personal bias, how we handle circumstances, or even the way we spend and invest our resources. The point is that in order to move forward, we must let go of what we have. If we want our life to be more of what we dream it could be, we must have the courage to step away from what is secure and comfortable and step out in faith and do things differently, even in the face of others saying we’re nuts.
Paradigm change always includes risk, ridicule, and revelation. Risk because stepping away from the familiar and secure behaviors can always bring about challenges and even failure; ridicule because humans often put others down who take away our excuses for our own unwillingness to be courageous; however, revelation comes to those who make the decisions, take the risks and step into a whole new way of thinking, acting, and achieving. Leaders, whether they be in charge of organizations, a family, or just their own life (yes, you can be the leader of your life, with God’s help of course) must always be open to a new paradigm and make continual change a part of their DNA. Nothing in nature stays the same. Flowers are either growing or dying, and it’s the same for leaders.
What paradigm do you need to change in order to move forward?
Lead well.