Progress and Prudence

To move forward, an organization must set goals and and execute projects with confidence.  However, this must be balanced with prudence, the possibility that you could be wrong.  This prudence cannot present itself as waffling or the inability to make a decision.  Nor can it manifest itself in an endless run of started, but abandoned projects.  Instead, it must balance the requirements to drive progress with prudence.  That's why I like Richard Rorty's quote so much:

"To accept our own fallibility is to embrace ‘the permanent possibility of someone having a better idea.’"

— Richard Rorty

Move forward with the best current idea, but be permanently open to the possibility of someone having a better idea.