Balancing Core Values with Disruptive Thinking

I had the pleasure once of hearing former NFL Head Coach Brian Billick talk about the effort it took for him to build a team capable of winning the Super Bowl.  He talked about needing a balanced squad.  His metaphor was simple, yet direct.  He said:

"In order to have a really delicious bacon and eggs breakfast, the chicken has to be involved...but the pig NEEDS to be committed".

Of course, he got the requisite laughter from the audience.  He also explained in a fascinating fashion how he never would've won that championship without the right balance.  Too many pigs....too many guys ultra committed and running out of gas down the stretch.  Too many chickens...to many guys involved but not committed enough to step up and give the extra effort when it's required at a crucial point in the game.

It's one of the best sports stories I've ever heard.  Corporate America loves it's sports comparisons, and it also has it's share of ex-athletes.  There are many companies at odds today over whether it's more important to protect core values, or to promote and engage disruptive and innovative thinking.

Let's quickly peruse a couple of case studies (we'll leave out actual company names, in order to protect the innocent).  Several years ago, a large national retailer stubbornly hung onto it's core values and insisted on continuing to mail out an absolute brick of a catalog.  Another retailer came into the space with more innovative ideas about store layouts and lower pricing concepts.  The mailer of the big brick of a catalog is still trying to play "catch up" to this very day.  Too many chickens.

In the other, a national provider of streaming video services decided to simply totally abandon it's core services...AND...raise the cost of the monthly service it provided it's loyal customer base.  Service cancellations sky rocketed...and, it was too late by the time they actually figured out they'd made a mistake and needed to apologize.  Too many pigs.

The obvious answer here is that organizations need to do both.  Core values must be protected while disruptive and innovative thinking is allowed to flourish.  The chickens and the pigs have to communicate though.  They need to understand where each other are coming from.  That way disruptive thinking and innovation can occur in DEFENSE OF and PROTECTION FOR the core values.

If this doesn't occur, there will be miscommunication, protection of "little kingdoms", silos, and a general atmosphere and culture that is not productive.  That doesn't win the game.  The right balance of chickens and pigs, and the right balance of communication between the two is the formula for success.

Namaste!