You Don’t Need Anyone’s Permission To Start
Grace Hopper was one of the first women admirals in the Navy and was a known genius. After completing her PhD at Yale in 1934, she had a soaring career in the military and became a legend of computer programming.Admiral Hopper wouldn’t have intimidated you at first glance. She stood only 5'3, with wispy white hair and a gravelly soft voice. Yet she was a stern manager and unafraid to shake things up. She said, “Humans are allergic to change. They love to say, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’ I try to fight that. That’s why I have a clock on my wall that runs counter-clockwise.”She also popularized one of the most misused quotes in history, “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.” Her message was less for cheating on a spouse and more to encourage workers to strive for autonomy.Her problem was that government and military sectors can play by the rules — to a fault. She didn’t want employees sitting around waiting for someone’s approval before testing their ability, innovating, and trying to learn. Her approach is one I eventually embraced, but not without some initial heartburn.
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