Poisonous: “ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS LATER”

An advice some executives and managers dish out on how to innovate and change things: “don’t ask for permission first, ask for forgiveness later” … WHAT NONSENSE!

The premise: i) move fast, ii) avoid getting tangled up in corporate politics, iii) no need for consensus, and iv) circumvent established processes; Employees, managers and leaders could initiate change without asking for permission. Later, ask for forgiveness about not seeking permission first. Valla! Problem solved: the organization innovated and all red tape and traps avoided. WHAT NONSENSE!

 

What appears as music and flowers may simply be noise and weeds!

 

Here are five problems with building, promoting or even tolerating the doomed and poisonous culture of “Asking for forgiveness later”:

1.    Permission to Evolve!

Is there a genuine desire to change? Show me an organization that is on its way to demise, and I will show you an organization where innovation and agility requires permission. The idea of asking for forgiveness later is rooted in belief that the organization frowns upon change and comfortable with status quo. Even worst, it is an organization where failure is toxic but lip service around innovation is plenty and everyone knows it! 

2.    Abundance of Denial!

Why ask if the answer is always NO … or a qualified, entangled, complicated, stringed attached from head to toe YES (the let’s kick the can down the road or throw a monkey wrench strategy) ! Why ask if the answer is likely no? Why ask if the permission always lead to more work: budgeting, filling out forms, getting approvals from a few levels, etc. etc. Why ask, if you are told “it is a very good idea, that won’t work here, but you can try … HOWEVER, you will own the failed outcome.” Too much work and too much risk!

3.    Anarchy Desired!

I do it my way and you do it your way ... both without permission. When uncoordinated (without permission and outside of a process) ideas are pursued, execution across the organization becomes disconnected. The result: more innovation without permission, greater execution chaos and less cohesive and effective strategy!

4.    Buck Passed!

If it succeeds, he is my guy… If not, well no one provided permission. Buck effectively passed and culture of blame and hollow credit taking embraced. The culture discourages innovators and change agents and encourages corporate political animals that know how to pass the buck!

5.    Ideas Starved!

Leave the change agents alone in the battlefield… No permission, no support, no funding, no time relief, and no performance clarity. Do what you want, ask for forgiveness later, don’t fail or there are consequences and do it all within the existing budget and with existing resources. Suffering through execution and constant risk of failure is the effect and the cause is the culture of “Asking for forgiveness later.” Starve transformational ideas and push the organization towards failure!

 

In your private thoughts and in the confidence of your leadership team ... ask if you suffer from this poisonous cultural disease. Do you “ask for permission” to evolve?

 

Remember: what appears as music and flowers may simply be noise and weeds. What on the surface appears a way to remove barriers and accelerate innovation, may in reality be the innovation killer!

 

Embrace A Culture Of “Asking For Forgiveness Later” At Your Own Risk!