An instinct for security

Francis Ford Coppola is most famous as a film director, producer, scriptwriter with Academy Awards and Palme d’Or in his collection.

Outside the movies, he’s built a commercial empire with heavy interests in food and wine, theatre, writing and resort hotels.

In a 1998 interview with Fast Company magazine he said,

“Being spartan not only greatly reduces overhead but also destroys the hierarchy that affects a company when its people care only about their bonuses. In that kind of company, people start to play the game safe: “Let’s make another Mission: Impossible.” I don’t hire people who play it safe, and I destroy systems that encourage an instinct for security.”

Anything that encourages risk aversion is a fast route to the middle of the road where mediocre output is almost inevitable. Creative answers are at the edge, in any industry.

Skippy Strategy: Next time you say, “Oh no, we could never do that.” work with your team to explore the edge, try to prove yourself wrong.

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Category:
Innovating