We seldom give awards for avoiding folly, but it can be just as critical to success as being brilliant.
When we focus on being brilliant, we often ask ourselves questions like, “How can I help my team or organization?” These types of questions centre on identifying contributions and putting pressure on ourselves to deliver.
When we focus on avoiding folly, we ask ourselves questions like, “What’s hurting my team or organization the most and how can we avoid it?” These types of questions centre on identifying obvious failure points so they can be addressed or avoided. They relieve pressure for teams and organizations.
While we might not be celebrated for avoiding folly, doing so is crucial to forward motion . At times, avoiding folly can be even more valuable than being brilliant and it’s often easier to achieve if we adopt the practice of noticing hazards.
