One thing that I have been noticing more and more lately is just how many organizations, companies, and teams operate without adherence to a mission or goals. I find this is absolutely true in school, proliferated throughout directionless classes and organizations.
This essay is not an argument for or against the value of goals (or how specific and long-term they should be). Rather, I try and focus this essay on the idea of a “compass,” a direction. And I think all organizations – big and small – should have something they are trying to accomplish. They should have a compass. Something that drives them.
The most frustrating problem I have run into is you have these massively influential organizations who entirely have no metrics or goals. It is unbelievable! No company could operate this way. Only a propped up, regulation-backed, quasi-religion-backed thing (like a college) could operate in this way.
Without a strong direction, it is really hard to objectively approve. And without people bought into a single direction, it is very easy to row in several contradicting directions.
This whole situation is frustrating to me because a lack of direction means no one wins.
Also published on Medium.