"The Drift"

What is it that happens to an organization (or an individual for that matter) that causes them to begin to navigate off-course from their mission? Does one decision have the power to derail an organization from its purpose? Is this how it really happens, or is it more like a ship at sea which gets pulled off course by external forces when its engines for some reason all start pulling in different directions?

I'm going to begin a series of posts that consider this phenomenon that I now refer to as "The Drift." What kind of environments does the Drift begin in? What internal factors contribute to the Drift? How does the Drift get its start? What external forces add momentum to the Drift? With respect to organizations (and individuals) that have significant influence on culture, what happens to the culture surrounding an organization (or individual) that is in the Drift? These are some of the questions stirring in my mind right now when I look at the people, organizations and institutions in the world around me.

Stay tuned...