Parking was always an issue at my old company. Finding a space, especially in winter, was like dividing by zero; you got a null answer. It didn’t help that shift workers filled up the spaces by the time the office staff was collectively just rolling out of bed. Nor did it help that parking in the street was reserved for trucks lining up to be loaded with product.

There was, however, one primo space (near the entrance to the building housing our sales, marketing and customer service teams) that was never used. The problem was a large yellow X that signaled the space as off-limits. There was nothing particularly important about that space. It faced the window of a small office in which toiled no one in particular…or at least someone not especially particular because the office was poorly insulated and required a space heater in the winter months.

I did some investigating and found out that, years ago, there was an entrance to the building at that spot. The X kept the entrance clear of vehicles. But the door was eventually sealed up, the building re-sided and a window installed. Only the extra insulation was left out. The X was left behind. And, to this day, some 20 years later, it remains there…in all its yellow-splendored glory. And, to this day, the denizens of a 400-man operation - ever respectful of painted authority - leave the space empty.

My story, told to colleagues at a management committee meeting, was met with bemused smiles. People are funny, I was told. Indeed they are, I thought, as we moved on to other, more important topics. That was a year ago. 12 months later, winter approaching, the X still stands guard. The space remains empty. The world continues to spin on its crazy tilt axis.

You have to wonder. How many inefficient processes hinder operations simply because companies do things the way they always have? How many products does your company keep in its offering despite poor sales simply because they’ve always been there or simply because your competitors have them? How many HR or marketing programs are kept in place, despite their lack of results, simply because they were a good idea at one point in time… a long time ago? Why do so many companies cling to a corporate culture that has been rendered obsolete by a global marketplace?

Is your company a victim of the X Factor? If so, it’s time to park the past and jump at opportunities when they become available. Especially with winter approaching.