A few months back, a woman I see regularly on the trail shared the history of the trails. Years ago, it was just a muddy series of trails for most of the year that was known by the horse community. Just one of five parks in the county where they would go to ride, it was their little secret. And then several groups and the county came together to improve the trails.

The little known place where people could ride their horses started to become a magnet for hikers, bikers and runners, making it harder for people riding their horses. What was a feature for so many new people, became a bug for the long time partakers.

That’s the thing with change. Often, there’s a lot of history behind how people feel about the change. And making things better for some, can make it worse for others. Knowing the history can help reduce or eliminate the impact of change.

It rains a lot in the Pacific Northwest in the winter. Which means, the water needs somewhere to go. One of the trails has been worn down through the weight of horses, people and bikes such that there is no place for the water to run off. It just pools, creating one of the muddiest spots in the series of trails. So, people veer off the path to avoid the mud, creating a bigger muddy area.

These situations arise at work too. People see a mess and try to get around it. What they don’t realize is, by avoiding the mess, they create another mess because that space wasn’t meant to be used in that manner. It’s worth thinking about design in business to make sure messy spots are removed rather than being left to create other problems.

The treat bucket was nearly empty, which meant it was time for a trip to the pet food store. New treats! They sounded like a nice addition to the usually mix. Apparently, they weren’t. She spit them out fully intact. For a rescue dog who was underweight when I got her, I’m always surprised when she turns her nose up.

You never know when people won’t like something. And yet every new introduction is proceeded with “you’re going to love this!” The reality is, some people will like it and some won’t. Rather than making the assumption they will, why not ask “what do you think?” Then ask why they like it or not. That information will help you keep doing more of what works and stop doing what won’t.

Summer came late to the Pacific Northwest. That long cool, rainy season meant late planting for tomatoes. And I figured that meant smaller vines and fewer tomatoes. Was I wrong! Somehow, the vines knew it was going to be a shorter season and grew fast and produced a ton of tomatoes. They caught up.

The same happens in business. When teams know what to do, they see the setbacks and find a way to catch up. The trick is designing teams that have the skills to recognize and address problems along the way.  And making sure they have the resources to do what they need to do.

My dog enjoys sitting outside on the deck. But there are times she opens the door to see what is going on inside. After a game of her opening the door and me closing it, she will finally decide where she wants to be. Her preference would be to leave the door open so she can go back and forth. She might miss something.

At work, there’s a lot that happens that people don’t want to miss. A meeting where something important is discussed. A project that will have a big impact on the company. Job openings. People want to know what is going on in places they can’t see. They don’t want to miss out. How are you creating the conditions so people don’t feel like they are missing out?

The local wooded park has standing water in places. And that means mosquitos. They love me, but I don’t care to be bitten. So, my ritual has been to hop out of my car and apply mosquito spray. Until one day, I realized the temperature had been well below the point where mosquitos are active for some time. I had been applying mosquito spray out of habit, not because it was necessary.

The same happens in business. We continue to do things out of habit that may no longer be necessary. It takes periodically, deliberately examining work being done to determine if it continues to be necessary. Are you still doing things that are no longer necessary?