There’s an ornamental bush in a planter box in front of my house. I’ve wanted it to grow to a certain height, but it just hasn’t grown. And that has stumped me. Then a few weeks ago, I realized, my landscaping crew has been trimming the bush. They thought they were helping, but really they were impeding the growth I was looking for.
In business, well intentioned people get in the way of growth all the time. They think their job is to constrain it from happening. That’s when it is important for leaders to make sure people understand growth goals and align the organization to support rather than impede it.