Frontier Academy Partner Katie Lackey Discusses Why It’s Important to be Diligent About How You Create and Maintain Your Habits

WHO’S IN CONTROL?

Frontier Academy Partner Katie discusses why it’s important to be diligent about how your create and maintain your habits.

There’s a daily battle for control of all my decisions—and yours. We are all split in two, between our logical, planning functions, and the part of ourselves that unthinkingly falls back on habit. The shockingly beautiful thing about my work is that because it’s rooted in habits, psychology, and behavioral economics, I can identify and better understand this battle—and help others do the same.

 I’ve been with Frontier for just over 5 years now. In that time, I’ve learned more about habits, psychology, and behavioral economics than I could have ever imagined possible as a BBA graduate from a liberal arts school located in the small town of Harrisonburg, Virginia (Go Dukes!).

I’ve learned that the logical part of my brain makes me think I am in control, while the habitual part of my brain loves to take control. Just when I think I’m mastering a new skill or process, my brain reminds me that we—meaning those two forces—live in the same body.

Last Tuesday, I was rushing out the door to drive to the airport. All the while, I was also on a conference call with my colleagues. I was doing what most of us consider multi-tasking, something I know I really can’t do based on neuroscience, but something I attempt daily. Travel is a big part of my role at Frontier Academy, and so driving to the airport is a routine as driving to my house these days. Being on a call at the same time seemed like no big deal. Right?

As I arrived at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, I pulled up my airline app on my phone to check my gate. “Delta: DAL—Gate 1,” read the screen. It didn’t make sense to me, because I knew Delta always flew out of Gate E. But hey, I had to focus on the conference call, so something must have just been wrong on the app. I shrugged to myself and pulled into the Gate E parking lot.

As I walked to security, still on the conference call, I allowed myself a brief moment of self-congratulations: “See Katie, you can do all these things at once. You are awesome and efficient!”

Still on my call, I smiled and waved apologetically at the security guard as I handed him my ID and placed my iPhone on the scanner. That’s when everything changed.

The scanner turned red.

I tried again. The scanner turned red again.

Completely confused, I looked at the guard, who announced loudly. “Ma'am you are at the wrong airport.” I hung up on my colleagues and gasped “I’m sorry—what?”

There’s a first time for everything, and that day was my first time flying out of Dallas Love Field, 9 miles away from the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, where I still stood dumbfounded in front of the security guard.

I rushed to my car and made it to Love Field in time to board my flight. I could only laugh at myself.

Habits are powerful. They can be extremely useful in the right situations, and frustrating in others. My mishap was avoidable, but understandable.

Learning new ways of doing things is hard. It’s useful and challenging all at the same time. So know that, and embrace that reality. As you challenge yourself and your team to drive new behaviors, habits, and skills, keep in mind how difficult this process is while still diligently pressing forward to form new and better habits.

My airport fiasco was a great reminder: I am nothing more than a collection of habits. I must be mindful of and attentive to how I create and maintain them. When push comes to shove—when the two parts of my brain battle for control—my habits are in control more than I care to admit.

If you’re ready to harness the power of habit for your team, here’s what you need to know:

> Your Guide // Katie, Partner for Frontier Academy

> Contact // katie@frontieracademy.com

This article was reprinted and first appeared on Frontier Dispatches. View the original article at http://frontierdispatches.tumblr.com/post/164759116790/whos-in-control. 

This year, Katie Lackey will be speaking at the MSCPA's Emerging Leaders Summit on November 17, 2017 at the Revere Hotel in Boston. She will be giving the first presentation at the event discussing how to activate your hidden influence style. In this fresh, candid keynote, you'll be motivated to rethink the idea of influence, stretched to better understand how others are impacted by your message and given the tools you need to hone your own authentic influence style. 

To register for the event, go to masscpas.org/mscpael17.