One of the most insidious forces in an organization is the slow erosion of principles and values. 

It typically starts small and subtly and there’s usually a “good reason” to make exceptions “just this one time”. But over time this creates new norms regardless of what values you have posted on the office walls. 

The enabling principle of Course Correct Early is a leadership drive to hold true to your vision, your principles, and your values. It’s not that exceptions can’t be made, but rather understanding the precedent your team is creating. 

This principle involves striking a balance - It’s impossible to prevent every bad thing from happening, and sometimes the desire to do so can lead us to over-engineer and over-process to the point of also having a negative impact. On the other hand letting things go too far moves us from incidental problems to more systemic challenges.

We need to be vigilant - ready and willing to recognize when something is getting in the way of achieving our desires and not let it rot away at our organization. This is what your principles are for - to give you the guidance on what you should be vigilant for so that you can course correct early.

What problems are you letting slide now for expediency or any other reason?

Is this a one-time occurrence that makes sense as an exception? Or is it the start of a downward slide? Or does it mean you don’t have the right principles and values in place?