Barriers to Innovate: "That's what we have always done"

I smiled.

This story made me think about my own behavior.

A young girl was watching her mother prepare a ham for a family gathering. Before placing it in the oven, the mother cut off the end of the ham. The daughter asked why she does so.

Response of her mother:

“Hmm… I think it helps soak up the juices while it’s baking. I’m not sure, though. That’s just the way your grandma always did it."

That is why the little girl phoned her grandma and asked:

“Grandma, mom is making a ham and cut off the ends before placing it in the oven. She said that you do so too. Can you tell me why?”

“That’s true. I do cut off the ends of the ham before baking. But I’m not sure why either. I learned how to cook from my mom. You should ask her.”

So, the inquisitive little girl called her great grandmother and asked:

“Mom and grandma said they learned from you how to cook a ham. Do you cut off the ends of the ham to help it soak up the juices?”

👵🏻 The great grandmother chuckled.

“Oh, no sweetie. I just never had a pan big enough to hold a whole ham, so I always had to cut off the ends to make it fit.”

⛔️ Have you heard people say: “That’s what we’ve always done”?

💡 How do you challenge existing beliefs?