If You’re a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail
Abraham Maslow explained The Law of the Instrument this way: “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.”
The Law of the Instrument, also known as the Hammer Rule, describes over-reliance on a single device. Individuals stuck in this rut are sometimes called “one trick ponies.” In fact, all of us suffer this to some extent, being creatures of habit. We oversubscribe to the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Sure, there is something to be said for the efficiency of replication and for keeping things simple, but in communication, professional business and leadership, too much reliance on “tried and true” can make you stale. Staleness in turn creates risks of both inefficiency and ineffectiveness.
Many of us bemoan diminishing returns but don’t understand why this happens. “That’s always worked well in the past,” we say, puzzled why we’re not getting the same work out of an old horse.
Having a variety of tools in your toolkit is important whether you’re in the trades or whether you’re in the professions, and nowhere is this more true than if you’re in the business of persuasion or leadership. “One size fits all” just doesn’t work when you’re interacting with individual and individualistic clients, co-workers and colleagues.
Always be on the lookout for innovative approaches which you can use and tailor to your specific needs. Always be the young dog who can learn new tricks!