accountability

How to Scale Behavior Without Over-Engineering the System

/ Jana / Leave a comment

As companies grow, it’s natural to look for control. Things start to move faster. Decisions get more distributed.

And suddenly, leaders start asking: “How do we make sure people don’t mess this up?”

That question usually leads to one thing: overbuilt systems.

Extra layers. Tighter permissions. Approval chains that go nowhere. All created to prevent edge cases that might happen — or once did.

But the truth is: Most overengineering isn’t about improving process. It’s about avoiding a leadership moment.

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3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Share Your BHAGs

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Since my junior year in college, I wanted to be a CEO. I was ecstatic when my Myers-Briggs test said that it was a job that would suit my profile (I was an ENTJ). “See?” I thought. “It’s destiny!” I didn’t want the job for the title. I wanted everything the job promised: having big ideas and making them happen; responsibility; being able to influence the course of an organization; building a strategy; and most importantly, being in charge. I wanted all the things a 19-year-old knows about being a CEO. While I have matured, I actually still want to lead a large company.  Continue reading →

Why Your New Year’s Resolution Won’t Succeed

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“You’re going to be 40 anyway. Do you want to be 40 with a degree or without?” This was encouragement a friend gave her husband as he lamented how long it would take to get his degree going to school part-time. How often do we fail to start something because of how long it will take to reach our goals? We miss the big picture, though: we will still reach them, even if we are 40 or 50 or 90!

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