Conformity - an Enemy of Creativity

We live in a world of conformists.  President OBama came into office and for the most part eliminated the formality of a tie except for special events.  He still dressed appropriately with a business suit or sport coat.  But suddenly, many news commentators, staff members, and business leaders likewise dropped the tie.  It is clear that many who surround a senior executive capture his/her habits of dress, work, and even behavior.

I recall when General Jack Galvin arrived as the Commanding General of the U.S. Southern Command.  I was the Director of Plans and Force Development, but in this large headequarters there were many senior to me.  General Galvin always carried 3X5 cards, and he would be continually writing taskers/reminders and handing them to the staff (even while standing at a social event), and we were to run down the question or complete the tasker.  It wasn't long until the other General and most of the Colonels were handing out the 3X5 taskers.  We joked about not being able to walk across the parking lot without getting a handful of these cards.  This was conformity that became sycophant-like (sucking up).  As a Lieutenant Colonel who had few reporting to me, I never handed out a card.

Conformity is the death to optimization and the side-arm of the sycophants.  Just like consensus, focus groups, and compromise, conformity sucks the juices out of creativity and initiative.  Leaders must possess the will and courage to defy the pressure to conform.