Invisible Fences

Greetings. Ever wonder about invisible fences? Those marvels of science and technology that magically keep the family dog from racing into the street to chase a car or a cat, or simply to mark his or her territory. It turns out they're all around us, protecting more than one million pets from their innate desire to do something stupid and potentially life threatening. And yet we rarely notice them. Unless, of course, we see one of those oddly amusing signs in the neighborhood that says: "Invisible Fence." I guess that no one has figured out how to create an invisible sign yet. Sounds like a pretty cool assignment for a summer intern.

But why would I write about "invisible fences" in a blog on unlocking genius and delivering compelling value? Is it because I've found–in more than twenty years of consulting–that they are such an integral part of so many leading companies and organizations, protecting us from our innate desire to do something brilliant? Is it because they're all around us in…

The history of how we've always done things.
The way we frame and evaluate problems and opportunities.
The way we think about our customers and their needs.
The way we find and share information.
The way we develop plans and budgets.
The way we set goals and attempt to meet them.
The way we handle new and different ideas.
The way we provide incentives for performance.
The way we hire and orient new people who are, all too often, just like us.
The way we lead and are led.

It turns out that these invisible fences are our biggest obstacles to real genius and greater success. And, our biggest obstacles to delivering more compelling value to those we have the privilege to serve. Yet just like the family dog, far too many of us have been conditioned to avoid them out of fear that we might get ZAPPED.

Maybe its time to put a sign in your workplace that says: "Beware of the Presence of Invisible Fences." Its time to run out in the street in search of new ideas and possibilities.

Cheers!