Last night a colleague sent me a link to the article “Managing to the 2%.” I read–and re-read–this article knowing exactly where to find the 2% in my own life. Who are the 2%? They are the ones who provide the need to create rules, policies and guidelines that keep us from new practices and keep us focused on the–you guessed it–the rules, policies and guidelines. While the other 98% are pushing it forward, rolling with the idea of change and how to make our services or programs deeper, richer or more meaningful, the 2% provides the convenient stumbling block often disguised as the “grounding perspective” or the “voice of reason” that is ultimately a thinly veiled fear of change or innovation. But, alas, this thin veil is so seldom questioned, much less torn down. And in this, the 2% appear to rule. They stay in their bubbles of good intentions (“we don’t want to shake people up”) and sensibilities (“what implications could this have on our core services?”). And we ultimately spend our time bowing to this 2% solid void. In the meantime, the 98% who are attemping to reconstruct, dig deeper, create use and meaning are left dragging their feet until they finally pick them up and walk out our doors.

Let’s keep 2% on the milk label only and out of our meeting rooms. Whatchathinkbouthat?