The common spaces in our building got a fresh coat of paint recently. A warning sign hung on the wall: "Wet Paint."
I touched it anyway.
It's the same urge that kicks in the second a waiter says, "Careful, the plate is hot." Something in us just needs to know for ourselves. Anyone else sneak a peek behind an "Employees Only" door at a hotel? It’s not recklessness—it’s curiosity. That restless, human itch to see what’s just beyond the edge of what’s allowed.
The best work we’ve ever done at SMZ came from that same itch. It didn't come from ignoring the sign, but from asking why the sign is there in the first place. And whether the rule still makes sense today. The people I want on my team aren’t the ones who never touch the wall. They’re the ones who touch it, notice the paint on their finger, and say, "Huh, interesting."
Go ahead, touch the wall. Ask the questions that aren't on the agenda. And if you run into me and want to know how business is going, I promise—I won't just give you a second coat of paint.