Why Complacency Can Become “Success” in Internal Communication

As we’ve previously discussed on this blog, it’s no secret to internal communication (IC) professionals that our business function is misunderstood and undervalued. This idea can be perpetuated by people in communication roles, internal and otherwise, who do nothing to change the narrative. They’ve been successful keeping the lights on and calling it good, so they likely don’t see a reason to do things differently. Let’s dive into the ‘why’ behind that behavior.

• Lack of Awareness
  For those running an organization’s IC function with no formal training in the field, they may not be aware of the potential for improvement or may not realize that the current practices aren’t as effective as they could be.
  

• Fear of Change
  As the saying goes, “If it ain't broke, don’t fix it.” Introducing new, innovative communication strategies may require stepping out of the comfort zone. Some IC professionals might be apprehensive about implementing changes that could lead to uncertainty or potential criticism.
  

• Reactive vs. Proactive Approach
  Complacency can also appear when IC professionals adopt a reactive rather than a proactive approach. Instead of actively seeking opportunities to enhance IC, they might only respond to immediate and pressing needs, which can limit their ability to drive long-term improvement.
  

• Leadership Influence
  If the leadership team expects very little from IC, it’s easy to meet those expectations. Perhaps the emphasis is on stability and continuity over continuous improvement. In that environment, the IC team might feel incentivized to maintain the status quo to align with the organization’s top-down approach.
  
  

• Organizational Culture
  In some organizations, the prevailing culture discourages questioning or challenging existing practices. Employees might be rewarded for maintaining the status quo rather than driving change and innovation. The potential for good and even great is unlikely to flourish in that environment.
  

If you find yourself in a communication environment where complacency is considered acceptable, you’ll have an uphill battle ahead of you. It’s incredibly difficult (sometimes impossible) to enlighten people who are fully entrenched in the status quo. They may not see an incentive to do things differently because it’s worked so successfully for them before.

If you’re leading a communication team, you have a better chance of being able to motivate your team beyond complacency than you will as an individual contributor with a boss who embraces the status quo. Maybe your boss will humor you, giving you the opportunity to enact change in IC. You’ll need to look closely to see if they do indeed believe in what you’re doing or if they’re terrified that you’re rocking a boat that they don’t even want to be in. At the end of the day though, you have to ask yourself, “Do I feel like I’m best serving my talents, knowledge, and organization by adhering to complacency?” If your answer is ‘no,’ keep fighting the good fight or take your initiative somewhere it’s appreciated.