Optimism is the life force of an organization.

If it goes out, the organization succumbs to apathy and dies.

Optimism is what makes an organization strive to be better.

However, unchecked optimism is what gives rise to kayfabe.

Kayfabe is optimism to a grotesque, dangerous, self-protective extreme.

Kayfabe expands to take all available energy and space you give it.

Runaway kayfabe is like a cancer.

It demands all of the energy the host can give it, and it will ultimately kill the host.

In such an organization, the members of the organization have to use their considerable talents to prop up the kayfabe, the lie, vs creating real value.

In organizations with excessive kayfabe, employees are forced to do a thing that's not good for them and not good for the company, but everyone is compelled to invest time and energy in.

A tragedy!

The thing that makes organizations healthy is constantly keeping the kayfabe in check.

Positive, optimistic, collaborative... but grounded and realistic.

Seeing the path for things to grow into amazing things, but be grounded in the constraints of today.