hink about your last run-in with the American medical industry. For me, it was trying to have X-rays sent from a hospital to a surgical team. You can imagine the hurdles—spelunking through an online records system that forced me to verify my identity via text at every login
It’s not that processes aren’t necessary; it’s that too often, processes are upheld even when they don’t do what they’re supposed to. The documentation isn’t the surgery. The manager evaluation isn’t the performance. The narrative isn’t the work.The creation of org debt isn’t due to malice or stupidity. It’s often manufactured by roles meant to mitigate risk, track progress, and manage worst-case scenarios.
In Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace report, 41% of respondents said they would change their company’s approach to engagement and culture to make it better; that’s survey speak for “fix the company, so we can do work that matters.”That’s why saying “no” to org debt is so challenging. The risk of ignoring leaders’ mandates is greater than simply following the status quo.