“If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn’t thinking.”
- General George Patton

My company is big on standardization.  Really big.  So big, that we roll out an endless array of new systems, accompanied by training in a classroom setting, to make sure we’re all doing things the same way.  As a free-thinker, I have a problem with this.

Did you follow the procedure?

I’m not on a crusade against procedures.  They ensure that everyone is following the mandated guidelines.  Procedures are non-negotiable, and for good reason.  You wouldn’t want anyone to blatantly disregard a safety-related procedure, which could cause physical harm, or a security-related procedure, which could harm the company through the unauthorized release of trade secrets.  So procedures serve their purpose.

The Bad Business Cookbook

What concerns me is the trend to have everyone follow the exact same steps.  I call it the cookbook approach.  So now for every procedure, there’s an easy-to-follow recipe.  Do step A before step B, and so on.  We needn’t think anymore, just follow the recipe.  We’re creating an army of robots, programmed to follow direction.  And never is heard a discouraging word.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

The problem with this cookbook management is that eventually you’ll encounter a problem that isn’t covered in the recipe.  That’s when you’ll have to think for yourself.  If your ability to find a solution on your own hasn’t been nurtured, you’ll probably be unsuccessful.  Where will you begin?  Will you have to wait for a training course to teach you?  Do you have time for that?

Thinking on your feet

Times of chaos will reward those who can think on their feet.  You won’t have time to pull out the cookbook, or caucus the rest of the group for an opinion.  You’ll need to be able to act quickly, and you can only do that if you’ve exercised your thinking muscle: Your brain!

Change is good

Having everyone thinking alike leads to mediocrity.  There’s no chance for improvisation, and therefor, no innovation.  A fresh viewpoint is a catalyst for change, and change is good.  How can an organization grow if it’s unwilling to allow even the possibility of change?  Where will all of the new ideas come from?

If you’re in a leadership position, don’t set out rigid procedures for your employees to follow.  Assign them tasks to be accomplished, and then get out of their way.  Let them take the initiative to figure out how to get things done.  It’s the only way that they’ll grow as employees, and the only way for the organization to grow.  If you don’t believe me, then listen again to Patton:

“Never tell people how to do things.  Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

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