Why “That’s Just How We’ve Always Done It” is a Red Flag
The moment someone says, “That’s just how we’ve always done it,” your ears should perk up. Not because tradition is inherently bad, but because that phrase is usually code for, “We don’t really know why we do it this way, and we haven’t thought about whether it still makes sense.”
That sentence is often the final defense of a broken system. It’s what people say when something isn’t working, but no one feels empowered to change it. ICK.
Here’s what makes it so dangerous:
1. It discourages curiosity
Teams stop asking questions. New hires stop offering fresh ideas. People stop experimenting. And before long, everyone is following a process no one remembers creating, simply because it’s there. “The process is the process because…..it’s…….just the ……..process” is something that’s legitimately been said to me at large corporations. And yes, a little part of me died that day.
When curiosity dies, so does innovation. If the answer to “Why do we do this?” is “Because we always have,” you’re not running a company—you’re following a script.
2. It hides real problems
Sometimes a process made sense at one point. You built a workaround for a constraint that no longer exists. You added extra reviews after a mistake five years ago. You created a ten-step approval flow because of one bad launch.
But now those layers have turned into clutter. And instead of fixing the core issue, everyone just adapts to the dysfunction. Over time, that creates invisible costs—slow timelines, disengaged teams, duplicated work—that no one tracks because it’s “just the way things are.”
3. It signals cultural stagnation
High-performing teams are willing to evolve. They ask hard questions. They make intentional changes. They know that growth comes from iteration, not inertia.
When "that’s just how we’ve always done it" becomes the default answer, it signals a team that’s more focused on preserving comfort than improving outcomes. Over time, that mindset chips away at creativity and ambition. It teaches people not to bother asking questions, because the answers won’t matter. It erodes initiative.
This isn’t just about a stale process. It’s about a culture that has quietly stopped believing change is possible. That’s dangerous. Because once people stop believing things can get better, they also stop trying.
And when that happens, innovation doesn’t just stall, it evaporates.
What to Say Instead
Try replacing it with:
“Here’s why we do it this way—does that still make sense?” (and then follow through on fixing it if it doesn’t make sense!)
“We’ve always done it like this, but I’m open to better ideas.”
“Let’s walk through this and see what’s still useful.”
That simple reframe turns a dead end into a dialogue. And that’s where progress begins.
Bottom line
Tradition can be a foundation. But it can’t be an excuse.
At The Threadsmith Group, we specialize in breaking up outdated patterns and helping teams build smarter, faster, more human systems. If your team is stuck in a cycle of “that’s just the way it is,” it might be time to ask a better question.
Let’s build something better.