Post image for Shifting from linear to holistic design

Organizational cultures vary, just as human personalities vary. Many are embracing methods and tools that bring all voices to the table. Participatory, inclusive decision-making practices and use of collaborative tools and technologies, along with social media platforms to level the playing field are becoming more common, facilitating our capacity to be more experimental, productive, playful, and engaged.

Impetus for Change

Still, in most organizations, the starting point for change is to focus on what is broken and then call for change or a training program only when leaders or managers perceive employees are not performing. “It’s a training problem,” they complain. How many of us have been brought in to fix many “training problems” after a major change implementation failed to include informing (let alone including) the employees of new strategies, organizational restructure, new technologies, systems, processes, policies, or procedures. The expectation is that employees will slot into whatever the new design is and keep the organization running smoothly without support or strategies for transitioning to the new.

Learned helplessness

Psychologically, one of the ways of coping with the feelings of anxiety and frustration is to defend against them by regressing to learned helplessness, and with that come dependent behaviors and downtrodden, discouraged emotions and keeping one’s mouth shut.

Organization Chart – boxes or circles?

Years ago, I led a team of twelve training consultants for a leading global professional service firm in Melbourne, Australia. My boss called me in one day, a little frustrated that I wasn’t managing my team as tightly as he wanted me to. He handed me the marker pen, pointed to the huge whiteboard that hung on the wall in his huge corner office, and asked me to draw my organizational chart and reporting structure. Somewhat surprised at his request, yet without hesitation, I drew a circle and placed myself between the center and the edge of the circle and consciously placed my various team members within the circle, as I perceived them to be in relation to each other and to me. I placed my boss at the circle’s edge. [click to continue…]

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Appreciating All Generations

Thumbnail image for Appreciating All Generations February 7, 2013 Book

What are the stereotypes we attach to the different generations? If you were to generalize, how might you complete these sentences?  Old people are. . . .Young people are. . . . If you have difficulty generalizing, that’s a good thing, as we are all unique and different. Expanding our World Views It appears our [...]

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We See the World as We Are

Thumbnail image for We See the World as We Are January 29, 2013 2013

Jenny’s Story – Constructionist Principle My friend from childhood, Jenny is a nurse, a wife, an animal lover, excellent gardner, a great cook and a talented artist.  I love her deeply.  She’s my dear friend, and even though we’ve had some challenges, and times of separation over the years, we continue to be there for [...]

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Embracing Change

Thumbnail image for Embracing Change January 1, 2013 2013

Since today is January 1st , 2013, New Year’s Day, it’s THE day for implementing the change, you’ve been thinking and/or planning for the last few days, weeks, months or years.  The first day is always the best day to start.  I’ve got an app to keep it going. Unashamedly, I am going to plug [...]

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Let Love be our Guide

Thumbnail image for Let Love be our Guide December 26, 2012 2013

The time to talk Love, to think Love, to show Love, to give Love, to receive Love, to acknowledge and appreciate Love is just as essential in the world as 2013 approaches as it has always been.  Love is the greatest universal positive attribute. As a species, we need Love.  The universal human story is [...]

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What is Appreciative Inquiry?

Thumbnail image for What is Appreciative Inquiry? December 14, 2012 Appreciative Inquiry

Our world is calling for conversations that focus on what’s possible, what we value about each other and our planet.  More than ever we are discovering ways to collectively appreciate loss and grief and sadness thereby opening ourselves to what goodness and kindness there really is in the world.   By engaging with each other through [...]

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How to be an appreciative listener

Thumbnail image for How to be an appreciative listener September 25, 2012 Appreciative Inquiry

The way we ask questions determines what we find. In fact, the very first question we ask begins the listening process.  So there’s a big responsibility in asking questions that invite responses that keep us engaged and interested and result in what it is we are seeking to learn about.  Moreover, in the process, when [...]

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Intention + Effort = Results

Thumbnail image for Intention + Effort = Results August 14, 2012 Action

It seems a no-brainer, or a BFO in my vernacular (Blinding Flash of the Obvious): You set an intention, you put effort into it, and results follow. Change requires Effort Truth test: when you set your sights on something, and it requires you to change a behavior or practice; or you set a new course [...]

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A Gift Received

Thumbnail image for A Gift Received July 3, 2012 Action

“If you want to go fast, go alone If you want to go far, go with others” ~ African Proverb I received a gift last week. I have been basking in the glow of the support I received from my professional community, my colleagues, my friends, and friends of friends, and strangers.  Not only did [...]

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Appreciative Inquiry through Stories

Thumbnail image for Appreciative Inquiry through Stories June 18, 2012 Action

Telling Stories and Constructing Narratives We are all story tellers. We depend on a regular narrative to help us navigate through our days. We tell each other stories everyday: at home with our families, at work with our colleagues and clients, at play with our mates, and in romance with our lovers. Who you hang [...]

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