Lynda S. Hilliard (lyndahilliard@hotmail.com) is Principal of Hilliard Compliance Consulting in Mount Shasta, CA.

“We’ve done it this way for years. Why fix something that isn’t broken?” This is a saying that sends chills up and down my spine. It makes me cringe when contemplating the myriad issues that could be wrong in that area, and in our profession, that may translate into non-compliant activities! In the same way, we personally may be in that “rut.” We approach new situations and address new projects, new opportunities, and even new threats with the same ideas and perceptions that we have had since the day we entered compliance management. We are not doing anything wrong if our work is successful in meeting established goals and problems are solved; however, stagnant thinking does not allow us the opportunity to grow, to expand our boundaries and, in the context of our organization, to rise to new levels of excellence.