Here are two truths: Every organization proclaims that it takes pride in what it does and, by association, takes pride in its people.
Every organization has a people problem. Poor communication, misunderstandings, turf wars, authority battles, office politics, team infighting. These are all symptoms of the same problem: pride.
In both cases the pride is identically misplaced. Organizations take pride in themselves but not in their people and frequently not in their work. People take pride in themselves and not in their organization or their work except where these two reflect favorably upon them.
The cure is as simple as it is difficult: an admission of vulnerability. If organizations admitted that they were vulnerable to their people because they relied on them to carry the day and if people admitted they were vulnerable to their colleagues because they were afraid, tired, uncertain, we’d get a cleaner sense of connection and belonging that would benefit everyone.
That requires a deeper awareness of the connections that bind everything. It needs an examination of identity, purpose and values and a sense of compromise over shared goals.
Why doesn’t this happen as norm?
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The world is changing. Not overnight and not all at once, but it is changing nevertheless. In my talks to corporate groups, CEOs, VPs and industry leaders I gleam insights of how this change is happening. What evidence exists. Why some things happen and not others and how we can best take advantage of it all to do better. In Observations I catalogue it all. Brief, to the point and open to discussion.
