Be honest now. Can you take an objective look at what you’re protecting in your organization?
Are you protecting the process? Or are you protecting the people that the process was intended to serve?
Are you protecting the plan? Or are you protecting the value that the plan was intended to deliver?
Are you protecting your reputation? Or are you protecting the relationships that your reputation is dependent on?
Ed Catmull discusses “protection” quite a bit in Creativity, Inc., his story about leading Pixar. If you’re involved with an organization that creates anything, you should read this book. Catmull believes that a company’s cultures and characteristics are created by the things that are institutionally protected. Organizations that allow their people to protect process over people tend to become rigid. Protecting plans instead of the delivery of ideas tends to stifle innovation. Protecting reputations instead of relationships tends to create a dysfunctional organization.
What’s really important in your organization? Are you protecting it?
Do you have a question to add to the Weekly Inspection? I want to hear it. @johnkrewson.