Today there will be a whole crop of “fools” playing pranks throughout organizations but sadly April 1st is not the only day that illusions run rampant in the enterprise.
Like the miners seduced by fool’s gold or pyrite, some organizational leaders seem to be seduced by their own version of fool’s gold – that shiny new thing that appears to have value but in reality, does not. Fool’s gold in organizations can occur when a candidate with fancy credentials is hired even though the cultural fit is off. Fool’s gold occurs when leadership is seduced by the spiffy new technology tool even though it is the process that needs changing not the software it runs on. Fool’s gold also shows up when the organization engages with consultants promising to solve all the organization’s problems – even though the recommendations are put on a shelf instead of enacted.
It’s tempting to favor the easy, new or shiny fix for a problem, especially when it resembles a golden solution. You’ll be better off if you embrace the foolhardiness of April 1st but mine deeper to do the tough work the rest of the year.
