What’s Wrong With My Organization

Pragmatic solutions. That’s an interesting one. Finding pragmatic solutions. With that cliffhanger, let’s jump back in and look at a few pragmatic solutions that Org-ology has implemented.

We live in an old house—so old, that at one time we actually had a built-in ironing board as a “convenience”. Speaking as someone who hasn’t worn anything but a tshirt since the last time I was required to go to a funeral, it’s rather perplexing how that would be a convenience. I’ve become somewhat fascinated by these leftover things that change and time have left behind. I’m curious as to where our experts see this in organizations.

Let’s talk a bit about Zoom fatigue, supervision and measuring productivity. All questions that folk should be asking around this. Are we still trying to decide what direction we are going? What are we waiting for?

Ah, remember the days when you had that person who was “in the know” at the office? That person who seemed to know not just who was sleeping with whom, but also how to get a conference room when no one else could? That type of office knowledge has gone the way of the telex and the rotary phone—the answer is probably “we’re virtual now and there’s an FAQ for that”. It doesn’t change the fact that there’s a vacuum now, where helpful people used to be. It’s well known that nature hates a vacuum—so what’s filling that space?

Honest answers here: has anyone ever been motivated to go to work on Friday by the chance of having free pizza for lunch? Or that stale bagel for breakfast? If you happen to know who came up with that motivation plan, please submit your answers. Most folk agree that there’s a reason you’re paid to show up at work—and yet all the talk of work passion. If you talk to business leaders, they expect staff to see their work as the meaning of life. Can an excel spreadsheet be the meaning of life?

In the chronicles of absurd parenting, my young daughter recently asked “dad, why do I click on that funny square thingy when I want to save my work on the computer?” I can only recommend: don’t discuss the details of data storage evolution with a nine year old—you have a vanishingly small chance of success. But it does make you ask: why are we still clicking on an icon image of a technology you probably can’t even buy anymore in our computer programs?

For decades we’ve talked about democratization through digital media—the change in technology makes it possible for each individual to have a louder, distinct voice. Whether its YouTube or Twitter, the individual has a greater impact—and megaphone than ever before. Do companies, and organizations, really grasp what that means for decision making, that—until now—may have been considered internal or private? Let’s look at current developments to see what their behaviors show.

God save the queen. Or, wait. I think we’re now at God save the king, aren’t we? Recent events in British monarchy make for an interesting distraction in these turbulent times. Elizabeth was indeed the only person in that role, in my lifetime, so the changing of the guard does make for interesting observations. Who knew we British had such a collection of funny hats. As rather an anti-monarchist, I’d be curious to know if our in-house experts can assign a value to any of all of this.

As a non-athlete I’m really rather fascinated by that coach on the sidelines in sports—what do they actually do? Some of them do shout a lot, and jump up and down. Does that really make a team play better? If so, how? And how does business coaching work: is there a lot of excited yelling in that too? What role should a really good coach play, or shouldn’t play?

So, are we in the pandemic—or out of it? In a recession or not? Are you planning for disaster or rebound? If it’s a rebound, then what does it look like? Visiting a favorite coffee shop recently, and looking around at the neighborhood—it’s empty shops, sometimes an empty block—, it was hard to tell what any reasonable person should be anticipating—based on the small window that is my neighborhood. So, what are the experts thinking?

An introduction to Org-ology and the field of organization development and design.

Have you ever optimistically started out on a project—CERTAIN that you’ve got just the right idea. And then as you’ve gone along, you’ve ended up with a bigger problem than you started with? Today we’re going to look at that tricky question of solving the right problem. So, after our last podcast you sent along an article to me and I have to say. It was highly amusing. But I was fascinated that you felt it related to the workplace. It was about a prison in Rome. Can you sketch out what it was about, and how on earth did you think that relates to your clients? So—assuming that most of your work does not involve prison inmates and guns—how have you seen this play out with your clients? How do you encourage clients to take that step back and pause, before rushing into a solution? Is there any foolproof way of knowing that you’ve selected the to solve the right problem?

Do you ever have the feeling that UPS deliveries purposely leave before you have any chance of catching them at your door? Is it that the individual delivery person is out to get you—or do they have an algorithm cleverly planned to ensure you’ll always have to run after them? Some days it can feel like both. Let’s talk to our resident experts for their opinion—is it the people or the process?

We recently let friends stay at our place while we were out of town. It took a three-page single-spaced set of instructions to give them an overview of our place. And after their visit, I have the sinking feeling that there are still too many things I failed to mention—doesn’t everyone’s pipes sometimes rattle? Should I have said the fridge needs to have its door jiggled? This puts to mind that we really, often don’t know ourselves as well as we might. If we don’t know our homes, how well do we actually know our businesses?

Size matters. Or, at least, we’re told it’s oh so very important. That sends people to Walmart and Sams Club—to buy cases of peanuts and toilet paper. Or getting on new airplanes that can carry 400 people at a go. Size does buy advantages—but as a small business is that case of peanuts really what I need, for me and my business?

I used to have a friend who loved it that when you walked through the city at night, you could see through your neighbors’ curtains and see what their lives were like. Yes, perhaps—somewhat nosey, but we do love seeing what others are doing behind their curtains. Let’s proverbially look through our neighbors’ curtains and ask our consultants what their clients are up to.

Oooh. Wasn’t it exciting to see at the shops the other day: coca cola has a new can size. And Oreos now come in pink and green for springtime. Have you looked at these items and thought: how on earth did anyone think that would solve the world’s problems? Or, create a new market need? Does creating a new soda can size actually increase a company’s sales? What’s the value created by offering 12 colors of a consumer product, say a KitchenAid mixer, rather than 4?

Let’s dig in—is there an easy way to be sure you’re choosing inclusive, appropriate language? Ah, I’m sure we all remember some holiday, years ago, when the old, out-of-touch uncle tried using some more current language, and you cringed at the use of “groovy” or “clugy” or another such word. Words matter—and the right words matter. Particularly in the workplace. With the rise of a diverse and inclusive workplace, the cost of getting that language wrong is more expensive than ever. Is there a simple path forward?

It’s been a long year of reckoning and change for so many businesses around the questions of diversity, equity and inclusion. 2020 brought so many unjust social events that touched individuals and businesses: naming merely George Floyd’s murder understates and leaves out so many others. I guess now’s an interesting moment to look back at how organizations responded with DE&I programs and ask: is it working?

Cowboy westerns always had that charming phrase: meanwhile back at the ranch. What’s been going on while we haven’t been looking? So let’s turn from the larger global trends and ask our consultants: what’s been going on “back at the ranch” with their own clients? Anything interesting you’ve been experimenting with?