The Problem of Mediocrity
In his wonderful book Hope in Time of Abandonment Jacques Ellul pegs God’s “abandonment” of the church to its being “mediocre.” Seth Godin talks about three kinds of corporate mediocrity: Uncaring mediocrity , in which employees have given up trying to make things better Focused mediocrity , in which the organization is intentionally average Accidental mediocrity , in which people don’t even realize that they’re not delivering excellence Uncaring mediocrity is the most common form, and it often accompanies scale. It’s the accidental outcome that comes from trying to emulate an organization that’s focused on its mediocrity. The mechanization and industrialization of cottage industries (like hotels, restaurants and healthcare) has led to a convenient homogenization for many. It means you can travel around the world and find better than decent accommodations and safe food, all at a fair price. But it also means that most of the people working in these entities are ...