Looking serious

There was a time when progress happened in conference rooms.

Good slides. Clear hierarchies. Long meetings that led to permission.

That world rewarded polish. And caution. And looking serious.

So we learned the moves.

Perfect decks. Meetings about meetings. Validation before action.

Then the terrain changed.

Now progress happens closer to the ground. Outside the building. Where things break. Where feedback is immediate. Where no one asks for a presentation first.

But the habit stayed.

So people keep performing competence instead of taking responsibility.

They wait to be sure. They wait to be aligned.

Meanwhile, the real work is happening without applause. Without slides. Without permission.

The old signals still feel safe. They’re just no longer where progress comes from.