The Crack…a Blemish or an Intrigue?

My vascular surgeon husband is quick to point out tiny imperfections. His work necessitates the utmost attention to detail, identifying and fixing the most miniscule abnormality. While redoing our front yard this week, my perspective was high in the trees taking in the excitement that comes from reshaping the banal into something special. His view honed in on the crack in our driveway the landscapers had mistakenly created. One of the things I most enjoyed managing employee commmunications for large corporations, was that I often had that same bird’s-eye view of the company. Unfortunately, we often got stuck at that level and missed or misread the cracks. Employees who said all the right things during annual surveys, but quietly complained in the break room about inefficient processes, disengaged managers, poor communication, etc. The only time I was able to truly see these cracks was when I took the time to do site visits and get to know our employees — listening to their stories over lunch, during one-on-one conversations and impromptu hallway chats. What I surprisingly learned was that not all these cracks were bad. While most were indicators of a bigger issue that needed to be addressed, some were early signs of innovative thinking trying to break through corporate tradition. The big question that still looms for me is when we should fix these cracks and when should we let them guide us in an unexpected direction. Though my husband would never agree, I am still a believer that some cracks can be beautiful.