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The number one unspoken rule at most companies is don’t mess up. I agree that you can’t run a business with a bunch of people screwing up all freaking day. However, I’d suggest we move this rule down a notch or three.

I think this unspoken rule stems from the fact that as leaders often times we hire people because we’re motivated by pain. Clients are yelling at us about timelines so we hire a project manager to take away the pain. Employees are yelling at us about getting their paychecks on time so we hire another account to take away the pain. They’re job is to make things smooth and easy for us. People who do their job neatly and quietly are rewarded while more outspoken and controversial employees are criticized and encouraged to get back in line. It’s easy for the culture to become “Sit down, shut up, and do your bleepin job.”

The problem with this is that it’s a sure path to mediocrity. No one wants to stand out. No one wants to innovate because that’s messy. You might fail in a big way.

The best companies in the world hire crazy, talented, ambitious, outspoken, and creative individuals… and let them loose. We need change. We need new ideas. We need new life. Maybe we need to give our people permission to make rule #1 “mess it up.”

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