Overcoming Cultural and Technical Debt

Just as Jacob Marley was bound to drag the weight of his sins for an eternity, so too are organizations burdened by the weight of their debts. And we’re not just talking about the monetary kind. There are other forms of debt that companies take on, and they carry a weight that can be as heavy as the greatest financial liabilities. Two of the most nefarious forms are technical and cultural debt, which accrue as a by-product of the decisions and investments companies make along their growth journeys. In this week’s episode, Stanford’s Bob Sutton takes us inside ride-sharing giant Uber, which offers an ideal case study.