Leadership Is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say--and What You Don't

by L. David Marquet

The first question is: “Are we in redwork or bluework?” Remember, redwork is doing, executing, and proving. Typically, it’s the work of the organization—operating machinery, making products, serving customers. Bluework is thinking, deciding, and improving. If you are not sure whether you are in redwork or bluework, ask yourself whether the activity you are engaged in would benefit more from embracing variability or reducing variability. If you want more variability—more ideas, different options, decisions made in uncertain times—then you are in bluework. If you want less variability—consistency in a process, production of identical parts—then you are in redwork.