Shall we work on the tree or on its shadow?

26/03/2021

Good news for leaders: a weak or ineffective organization or company is not their fault. Bad news: it is their responsibility. An ordinary organization differs from an extraordinary one in its organizational culture. Depending on it, people either really want to work for that organization or they don't; they become attached to the organization or look for the first possible train in the opposite direction.

Organizations are created to achieve goals. Organizational culture - as a set of social norms and value systems, organizational climate, ethical and moral framework, and behavior - either supports or hinders the achievement of goals. In my opinion, organizational culture is who we are in the organization, and even who we become in it or thanks to it.
 
For 30 years I have worked in many organizations, in various industries, in Poland and abroad. I most willingly remember those that allowed everyone to actively influence the organizational culture, where you could have your own opinion, share it without fear, have partnership relations with superiors and a sense of co-creation. Now I lead organizational culture transformation processes for my clientsand  conduct surveys on leadership effectiveness using Collective Leadership Assessment™ to reveal what kind of an organization people have and how different they would like it to be. How does it compare to other effective organizations in the world? Sometimes the result is a turning point in the development of the organization. This usually happens when the 360° report indicates something that does not serve our organization or that we no longer want in it. Sometime casting away familiar tools for carrying out tasks is met by leaders with anxiety. It is difficult to put aside something that until now seemed to bring profit. However, more and more often it turns out that organizations are moving from transactional to transformational leadership. And it is not because of the surevey outcome, but because the new reality requires or even forces it.
 
For the first time ever we have four generations in organizations, and we are faced with the challenge of reconciling their different values and expectations. The third decade of the 21st century requires a different leadership culture than hierarchy. Among other things, in hierarchy only the "top" of the organization makes decisions, and does not share leadership with other managers. There is no longer any time for that in this fast-paced world. We need to scale leadership - that is, create responsible leaders on many levels of the organizational structure, and even flatten the structure. And as leaders, we need to scale our own leadership. What is needed is leadership that is as much about relationships as it is task-oriented, based on trust, employees' potential, empowerment and the sharing of responsibility. Excessive control cuts down not only trust, but also employees' motivation - everyone knows that already. Today's winners are organizations where there is room for different opinions, disagreement and conflict of ideas. Where leaders realize that failure to listen to employees, lack of openness, lack of autonomy and individual development means a poor organizational culture and, in the long run, even an insufficient result, a loss of market competitive advantage and even brand damage. Where reasonable consent to failure is the engine of creativity and innovation.
 
Where am I headed?
 
The level of the organization will not rise above the consciousness level of its leaders (Robert J. Anderson, Willian A. Adams, Mastering Leadership, 2016). We are used to judging organizations, companies and businesses based on profit, market position and reputation. However, it is worth noting that organizations create or limit us. That we either give them our potential, or else we just come to work. The market position of an organization whose brand is not only profit but also its identity and organizational culture will be stronger. Like tree, like shadow. Sándor Márai asked in his journals whether it was worth working on the shadow or the tree. I leave to you  the question of what is the shadow of the organization and what is its tree. I was lucky to meet leaders who worked on trees.

* The posted photo shows the Knowledge Management Department at the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in 2016 - dressed as rappers performing a song composed by themselves (instead of using Power Point) - presenting by surprise its achievements and plans at  the annual communication meeting. Unforgettable time.