In this article, Brianne Skien establishes when to challenge the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset. While the topic is swine production, the lessons apply to all animal health businesses.
Skien writes there are good reasons we build systems around doing things the same way every day, BUT there is a difference between consistency and complacency. Consistency means we follow a process because it still works and creates value. Complacency is continuing to do something because it is familiar, even when the operation, people or technology around it have changed.
Some things in animal production should NOT change. Our commitment to animal care should not change, nor should our focus on biosecurity, employee safety, quality, integrity and accountability. Plus, these commitments are reasons to question processes that no longer serve us.
Source: National Hog Farmer, August 25, 2026. Link. If we care about employees, we should care whether their time is spent on meaningful work or unnecessary steps. If we care about animal health, we should care whether information gets to the right people quickly enough to act on it. If we care about production performance, we should care whether the information we collect actually helps us make better decisions.
Change does not mean abandoning what matters. Done well, it helps protect what matters.”
INSIGHTS: Continuous improvement does not mean constantly changing everything. It means refusing to stop asking whether there is a better way.
Image: Link.
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