At Jet, there will be no annual performance reviews, because [Marc] Lore thinks feedback should be immediate and civil.  … And Lore isn’t making any of his employees sign noncompetes; he says that … without such stipulations “there’s more loyalty and trust that is built.” … “If someone is unhappy here and doesn’t see an opportunity for growth, OK, good luck, go to Wal-Mart,” he says. “I want to prove to myself that a different kind of culture can work and that you don’t have to be like that to be successful.”  Wipe Off That Smile, Bloomberg Businessweek, Jan 12, 2015.

I always congratulated someone who came to me telling me they were leaving and moving on to another job. Some folks were surprised, others appreciated it. I was also always sincerely happy for them and especially liked it when they were moving up into the world. I would tell the employees who remained to look at all the good stuff they were learning and the opportunities it would open up for them in the future. My management peers thought I was nuts.

I had a job opening for a line manager and had identified a great project manager from another department to take over that job. His boss was livid at the notion and essentially blocked the promotion.  How do you think that boss did overall? No, not very well at all. Yet his approach was similar to many other managers in the organization and tended to resist change and especially to resist people being moved to better fit their and the organization’s needs.

See also A Great Way To Use Your Staff Hours

The culture that exists in our organization doesn’t necessarily dictate the only way we can do things. Going against the grain is often painful but just as often pays dividends far into the future. Rising above the limitations set by the culture can be a great source of innovation and breakout improvements.

Compare with Sometimes Bureaucracy And Noise Can Be A Good Thing

What cultural norms do you see that you could step beyond and make a difference with?