Like a good plumber, electrician, or carpenter, we all have our tools of the trade. For knowledge workers the tools are the set of approaches, techniques, strategies, and tactics we use to meet common challenges. These are shaped by our experiences and knowledge, and by our past successes and failures.

Certain approaches work very well for certain circumstances. We learn this and leverage this knowledge again and again to save time, energy, and focus. These tools are invaluable. The work every time.

Until they don’t.

But sometimes, we grow attached to our tools. We have so much faith in them, based on so many years of experience of success, that we might become blinded to their shortcomings. We may not notices as they slowly (or quickly) become ineffective.

It’s good to check once in a while, and to remain open minded to the fact that our tools need to be changed more frequently than in other trades.

Photo credit: ktow