Rules Of The Game

If we’re going to play basketball, there are certain rules that come along with the game. Everyone agrees on those rules and as long as we respect them, we have tons of freedom to maneuver as individuals within those rules.

Without rules, we can’t appreciate the skill of the players. No matter how good of a ball handler someone might be, dribbling out of bounds to get to the basket is neither impressive nor effective.

Intentionally created workplace cultures have the same effect. Rather than boxing people in, a shared sense of purpose and a common language empowers employees to engage in critical thinking and be creative, not simply read task lists.

Almost paradoxically, channeling our creative energy within a framework leads to more interesting ideas than an unfocused creative free-for-all.