“That’s the way we’ve always done it” may possibly be the most expensive phrase within an organization. This expense refers not only to saving costs in materials or time. Those simple words put a damper on any new ideas to make change and bring an organization forward. If the culture is to resist change and default to the ways it has always been done, then employees will start to fear suggesting new ideas and also start to feel stifled in their productivity and purpose. You would think with all the buzzwords of innovation, creativity and empowerment associated with today’s corporate culture that people would be seeking new ideas but yet they don’t. So where does this mindset come from? And how do we break free from this mindset?
Melanie O'Neil is one half of the husband and wife duo that founded Rustic Marlin, a premium home décor manufacturer. She brings her passion and 20 years of proven success for building brands and implementing strategic roadmaps at companies ranging from large global brands including Reebok to innovative start-ups like IdeaPaint. Under Melanie’s leadership Rustic Marlin was ranked #366 on the 2018 Inc Magazine’s 500 List of Fastest Growing Companies in America and #19 on the 2019 Boston Business Journal’s fastest-growing private companies in Massachusetts list.

Melanie O'Neil is one half of the husband and wife duo that founded Rustic Marlin, a premium home décor manufacturer. She brings her passion and 20 years of proven success for building brands and implementing strategic roadmaps at companies ranging from large global brands including Reebok to innovative start-ups like IdeaPaint. Under Melanie’s leadership Rustic Marlin was ranked #366 on the 2018 Inc Magazine’s 500 List of Fastest Growing Companies in America and #19 on the 2019 Boston Business Journal’s fastest-growing private companies in Massachusetts list. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx