“Precision and Order” is the mantra of Mr. Banks and company in the Mary Poppins musical.
The greatest sin according to Sir Topham Hatt of Thomas the Tank Engine fame is “confusion and delay.”
Precision and order are good things, to be sure–at least most of the time. Few people like confusion and delay.
But what happens when these values (even implicitly) become the heart of your organization’s culture, its implicit mission?
What is the [unstated, but rigidly-adhered to] mission of your organization?
Meet the budget?
Keep most people happy most days?
Precision and order?
Don’t upset the boss?
What is the true heart of your organization’s culture and what are you doing to change it?