How to Challenge the Status Quo

Introduction
The status quo, especially the thinking behind it, can be a major obstacle to change, ie people are happy where they are and don't see the need to change.
Need to find ways to effectively challenge the status quo
Some ways to challenge the status quo (10)
1. Anticipate the opportunity (be opportunistic, ie when the occasion arises, be prepared)
2. Asked for permission (position your interaction as a contribution rather than confrontation by asking questions like
"...Do you mind if I offer a different perspective? Or, may I suggest an alternative way to look at this..."
Jillian Petersen, 2024)
3. Begin with enquiry, not advocacy (as challenging the status quo can evoke defensiveness, especially when advocating a position that could divide, exclude, or marginalise others; use questions to encourage dialogue, ie Why do you do it this way? Have you tried other ways, etc)
4. Model emotional intelligence (encourage a safe environment for challenging; understanding and handling others emotional reactions, attachments, etc to the the current situation)
5. Demonstrate a grasp of the past (you need to
"...demonstrate contextual understanding by acquiring a thorough knowledge of the previous decisions and how the status quo came to be. Become a master of the current state..."
Jillian Petersen, 2024)
6. Be transparent about potential unintended consequences, risks, etc ( need to be careful of the confirmation bias when challenging the status quo, ie but only using data that supports your position; need to be transparent and impartial in your analysis, including a candid disclosure of potential risks - this will create trust with other stakeholders)
7. Bring credibility (grow your credibility through a track record of performing; be selective when challenging the status quo, ie don't challenge it continuously)
8. Know your senior management (understand their trigger points, strengths, weaknesses, idiosyncrasies, etc; some questions to help you understand your senior managers:
      - Over what issues do your senior managers get defensive?
      - How do your senior managers handle bad news?
      - How emotional are they?
      - How entrenched are they in the status quo?)
9. Reframe dissent as exploration (be prepared to show your cognitive flexibility by challenging yourself and your thinking; use statements like
"... - I'd really like to learn more about this?
     - I wonder what else the data is telling us?
     - Please poke holes in this?..."
Jillian Petersen, 2024)
10. Use data (Data has the power to de-personalise and de-risk the challenge to the status quo; find the best time to use compelling quantitative data to support your case)