Are you in a groove, or stuck in a rut? This is a critical diagnostic question. It’s good to be in a groove. There’s usually momentum when we’re in a groove. We tend to stay on track when we’re in a groove. The path is smoother when we’re in a groove. And life is good, even groovy (sorry, I couldn’t resist) there. We can feel pretty good about ourselves when we’re in the groove. Usually this means we’re doing a good job and that we’re on top of our game.
But then it happens. We wake up one day and realize that we’re no longer in a groove; we’re stuck in a rut. How’s it happen? It’s a natural tendency for people to let their guard down when things are going well. We tend to get a little lazier when we’ve been grooving for a while. We tend to get a little overconfident in our ability and trust too much in our performance. And then our groove, our smooth path, starts treading over the same ground. We don’t push ourselves to perform at the higher level. We don’t stretch ourselves. We take a little too long to rest in the comfort that comes with being in the groove. And we don’t realize that our wheels are slowly cutting deeper and deeper into the ground, changing our groove to a rut. And then we get stuck facing the frustration of lost momentum.
And the deeper the rut, the harder it is to get unstuck. There’s a principle in physics that states that it’s easier to keep an object moving than it is to get an object moving. This principle applies all the more to an object that is stuck in a rut than one that’s poised for movement on level ground. This principle applies to small groups, too. It’s easier to keep a group heading in the right direction than it is to redirect a “stuck” or frustrated group. So, it’s important to periodically check with your group members to get their input on how group is going. You can do this by talking with individuals over lunch or coffee, or even spend a session with the entire group evaluating how group is going. What you’ll likely find is that members identify the rut long before you do and help you avoid it by capitalizing on the momentum that’s already being generated.
