Compartmentalization blinds you to new possibilities
In order to reduce complexity, we tend to organize the world into categories that serve as frames of reference. This helps us navigate ambiguity and retain control, but doing so can blind us to new possibilities that do not fit cleanly in a pre-conceived category or that exist as a link between categories.
Guillén observes:
Anthropologists and sociologists have long established that we reduce the complexity of the world by breaking it into categories, which enables us to sort things out, develop strategies, make decisions, and carry on with our lives. Those categories serve as frames of reference, helping us navigate the often ambiguous nature of our surrounding landscapes. They reassure us that we remain in control.
Companies and organizations also think this way. They compartmentalize everything. They put customers into little boxes such as “lead users,” “early adopters,” or “laggards.” They classify products as “stars,” “cash cows,” “dogs,” or “question marks,” depending on their present market share and future potential growth. And they consider employees to be “team players” or “ladder-climbers,” depending on their attitudes, behavior, and potential.
Compartmentalizing, however, blinds you to new possibilities.[1]
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