“I have been sort of restless,” Miguel started.
“Drop the sort of,” I clarified. “You are either restless or not restless, which is it?”
“I am restless.”
“About what?” I probed.
“I have been a supervisor, here, for three years, now. Things are running pretty smooth. At times, I am a little bored. Ready to tackle something bigger,” Miguel thought out loud.
“So, why haven’t you done anything about it?”
“Well, that would be, like asking for more work to do, a complicated project. Right now, I have it pretty easy, not a lot of risk.”
“Some people are satisfied, living with a problem,” I stared at Miguel, “rather than creating a solution that would require them to change.”
Ah, complacency, the enemy of so many things. Growth, risk, continuous improvement, exploration/discovery, learning, and on and on. Of course most of the responsibility to overcome complacency lies with the individual him/herself although organizations can and should create an environment to support appropriate risk-taking and provide opportunities for challenge and growth without unduly burdening the employees.