Stop Tripping Over the Rug: Why Familiar Obstacles Are Still Holding Your Organization Back
Outside the boardroom at one of our client’s offices, there’s a well-worn rug. It’s been there for years. You can see the edges curling up—just enough to catch a shoe or cause a stumble. And sure enough, during a visit, I watched three people trip over it within an hour. No one said anything. They just kept walking, adjusting their steps like it was part of the routine.
That rug is more than just a tripping hazard—it’s a metaphor for the barriers we tolerate in our organizations.
We get so used to working around certain obstacles that we stop noticing how much they’re slowing us down. They’re the processes, policies, and mindsets that have been in place forever—not because they work well, but because they’re familiar. And just like that rug, they become part of the scenery. Until someone trips.
What Rugs Are You Still Tripping Over?
Every association has them. These “rugs” might not look like a physical object, but they trip us up just the same—sometimes daily. Here are a few of the usual suspects:
🧶 The “That’s How We’ve Always Done It” Reflex
Whether it’s your annual meeting structure, membership dues model, or committee reporting process, legacy thinking is one of the biggest barriers to growth. It’s easy to defend what’s familiar, but that comfort zone rarely leads to innovation.
🧶 Outdated Technology That’s Still “Good Enough”
Maybe it’s your CRM that requires a manual export every time you want data. Or a website you’re embarrassed to show a prospective member. These are the tools your team uses every day—and when they don’t work well, they drain energy and limit potential.
🧶 Siloed Structures and Slow Approvals
If launching a new idea takes three months, four sign-offs, and two board meetings, you’re not nurturing innovation—you’re managing it into the ground. Bureaucracy might feel like control, but in reality, it’s often just a speed bump that became permanent.
🧶 Unclear Strategy or Misaligned Priorities
When teams aren’t aligned around a clear direction, it shows up in duplicate efforts, confused messaging, and missed opportunities. A strategic plan that sits on a shelf is just another rug: something that once looked nice, but now just collects dust.
🧶 Neglecting Professional Development
If your people haven’t had the chance to grow, stretch, and learn, they’ll start feeling stuck—right alongside your programs. Growth at the individual level is the first step toward transformation at the organizational level.
Innovation Starts with Clearing the Path
The most successful associations aren’t the ones with perfect systems. They’re the ones willing to stop, look around, and ask: What’s getting in our way that we’ve stopped noticing?
They build cultures that value curiosity over comfort. They create space for experimentation. And they question the “why” behind every major process—not just in crisis, but as a regular habit.
At .orgSource, we help organizations identify the rugs they’ve been tripping over. We work side by side with teams to remove outdated thinking, fix what’s broken, and redesign systems that move you forward—not hold you back.
It’s Time to Roll It Up
That rug outside the boardroom? It’s probably still there. But maybe next time someone trips, they’ll finally decide it’s time to roll it up and replace it with something that actually serves its purpose.
The same goes for your organization. Those minor stumbles, those recurring frustrations, those things that “just are”—they don’t have to be permanent.
Ready to Clear the Way for Progress?
Innovation isn’t about fancy tech or radical change overnight. Sometimes, it’s as simple as removing what no longer works and making room for what does.
So, here’s your moment:
What rugs is your organization still tripping over—just because they’ve always been there?
And more importantly:
What could you achieve if you finally moved them out of the way?
Let’s roll up what’s holding you back.
If you’re ready to stop stumbling and start moving forward with confidence, reach out to .orgSource. Whether it’s strategy, technology, or team development, we’ll help you remove the friction and create a clearer, faster path to your future.
