When an organization begins to default towards the average then people get comfortable.  You have a job, you are responsible for a few things, and it becomes a sustainable lifestyle.  No need to think out of the box because that’s someone else’s job.  Maintaining what you have and protecting your turf takes precedence over moving the organization forward.

Overcoming average is not about building more bureaucracy.  It’s about cutting through this to chart new paths to growth.  People working in growth need to operate outside of committees to tie together people, places, or things that may not be related to the casual observer.  Creating value out of seemingly nothing is the byproduct of building new relationships and weaving a kind of fabric between them.  This could be in the form of shared stories, experiences, or mutual friends.  This new narrative becomes the foundation upon your future growth is based.

What’s your narrative?  What stories are you telling others about what you do?

[Photo: An alternative to traditional office lighting.  Someone was thinking differently.]