Margaret (Meg) Wheatley is a business theorist and connected to the Learning Organization theory and practice that serves as an influence for me. Much of her writing focuses on how we organize ourselves … our communities and our business operations. She looks to nature for inspiration and even answers for how to organize. Very thought-provoking stuff and I invite you to explore her writing yourself.
To get you started here is a quote that I first read 15 years ago and have pondered ever since. There is a better way to organize our business organizations. We tend to use force to hold organizations together. There is a better way, there must be, to hold us together in shared purpose.
No answers here today, but do continue your search as I do.
In our organizations … we proliferate designs and procedures to ensure that we stay together.
We focus on techniques for policing or enticing one another into behaviors and roles. We worry about timelines, accountabilities, and reward structures.
Yet if we took time to ground our work in the deep connections that engage us, we would be overwhelmed by the energy and contributions so willingly given.
Yes, the deeper connections that are possible … to engage and hold us together. The energy and contributions would indeed overwhelm us. With all that said, Meg’s most powerful words are her last … so willingly given. Think about those words and how we can bring them forth into our organizations.
Hold on folks, have faith and let’s take the steps together. Indeed, We Move Together.
