Are You Guarding Dry Paint?

The Story I Read

Yesterday, I received a Whatsapp image from a friend which captured a short story. The story quickly got me thinking about my own organisation and team and that sometimes, even in my life and organisation, we end up doing meaningless things that are completely non-productive and a waste of time. I am retelling the essence of the story (in much a summarised way) below.

Here goes:

A newly appointed camp commander was doing his first inspection when he stumbled upon a strange sight: two soldiers standing guard beside an old wooden bench. Curious, he asked, “Why are you guarding this bench?”

The soldiers shrugged. “We don’t know, sir. The previous commander ordered it, and we’re just following tradition.”

Perplexed, the commander called up the last few commanders. Each one gave the same reply: “I don’t know. The one before me started it, and I just kept the tradition.”

Finally, he tracked down a retired general who had run the camp decades ago. Laughing loudly, the old man said, “What? You mean they’re still guarding that bench? All I did was tell a couple of men to watch over it for a few hours while the paint was drying!”

And so, for sixty years, soldiers had been wasting time and energy guarding dry paint—all in the name of tradition.

The Lesson

This little tale captures the danger of blindly following traditions and the status quo without ever questioning their purpose. What began as a practical instruction turned into a meaningless ritual because no one dared to ask why. And this is quite common in many organisations and sometimes in our own lives. It would be good to take some time to re-examine the rituals and practices we have in our organisations

The Dangers of Blind Tradition

Here are some research and data points that I have gathered that reinforce this story. It is not something absurd but it is something common in many workplaces, creating multiple issues including waste, groupthink, and has even implications on your culture and innovation. Check these data point below:

1. Organizational Waste:

• Research by Harvard Business Review (2015) found that up to 30% of organizational processes are “rituals” with no measurable value, yet they persist because “that’s how it’s always been done.”
• McKinsey estimates that companies waste 20–30% of resources annually due to outdated procedures that are never challenged.

2. Groupthink and Stagnation:

• Social psychologist Irving Janis’ famous work on groupthink shows how blindly conforming to established practices suppresses creativity and critical thought. The Challenger disaster in 1986 is a tragic example—NASA engineers followed existing norms despite clear warning signs, leading to catastrophe.

3. Cultural and Social Impact:

• A 2020 Deloitte survey revealed that 52% of employees feel trapped in outdated work practices, leading to disengagement and reduced innovation.
• In families and societies, traditions can also perpetuate harmful stereotypes or practices if never questioned. For instance, the World Bank notes that in many developing regions, rigid traditions around gender roles suppress women’s participation in the workforce, limiting economic growth.

4. The Innovation Penalty:

• Clayton Christensen’s research on The Innovator’s Dilemma shows that industry leaders often fail because they stick to old practices while disruptive newcomers ask fresh questions. Kodak, for example, clung to film traditions long after digital photography was viable—resulting in bankruptcy.

Closing Thought

Tradition can be beautiful when it gives meaning, roots, and identity. But when tradition becomes mindless habit, it turns into soldiers guarding a bench that no longer needs guarding.

Leaders, organizations, and even families must constantly ask: “Why are we still doing this? Does it serve its purpose—or are we just guarding dry paint?”