Category: Operational Excellence

Some time ago, I had a sharp disagreement with someone about the advantages and disadvantages of formal organization and, beyond that, formalized operating procedures. My interlocutor argued that businesses were dying because they were too formal, leading to complication, demotivation and loss of accountability. As for me, I supported the idea that excessive flexibility without formalization was at least as great a risk as over-formalization, since it could leave people without any reference points or guidelines. In fact, if we don't agree, I think it's a matter of vocabulary and knowing where to place the...