Chapter 11 When WHY Goes Fuzzy
While Simon showed some examples of products that contradict their company’s WHY and caused identity problems. I would like to touch more in-depth on the negative of Success & Growth.
As more people are involved, opinions can grow apart and get divided. For some, especially the top management, when they get too comfortable, for example: Nokia, Kodak, Walmart, etc, they become resistant to change.
And when the WHAT grows out of hand with its benefits and challenges the WHY. Some who turned against their WHY and chase after the WHAT that others are already doing with their WHY become mediocre.
“Good is the enemy of great” – James Collins
Chapter 12 Split Happens
Just as how Steve Jobs was forced to leave Apple. The WHY got ousted by the WHATs. Most of the time, when we are pushing boundaries to create things that don’t yet exist. Not many people would believe such lofty out-of-this-world goals. Coupled with hefty investments, the board directors don’t see the return on investment. They lost faith in Steve Jobs.
Or closer to our hearts, it’s just like how we lost our dreams due to the bills to pay and other commitments or burdens, and we no longer pursue the WHY, and we chase the WHATs in our lives.
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