Unpredictable. Unfocused. Just like life.

Seth Godin says the world needs fewer pilots:

Here's the thing: I think (outside of the airline business, of course) that our need for pilots is diminishing, and rapidly. I think the value add of a person who carefully follows instructions and procedures keeps going down. I think the fact that pilots would do well in a job interview at your organization means your organization probably should change the way interviews get done.

We don't need pilots. We need instigators and navigators, rabble rousers and innovators. People who can't follow a checklist to save their life, but invent the future every day.

I agree wholeheartedly and many companies will exhort how much they want to hire instigators and rabble rousers. Don't believe it for a second. Most companies want to hire pilots.

Pilots seem like leaders or drivers. They get you where you want to go. Something companies want. But they achieve that by rigidly following someone else's directions.They don't create the plan.

And the truth is that most companies give lip service to the innovation idea, but they just want you to follow the plan - not create it.

So is it surprising at all that most companies don't achieve greatness? They may get from point A to point B on time, but they never create anything extraordinary.

And yes, I'd be a lousy pilot too.