There is a form of organizational anger that all leaders need to understand. It is not the hostile outburst of an aggrieved staff member, though this may be a symptom just as a shooter in a public place can be a symptom of a broader social despair. It is not the same as dealing with… Continue reading On Organizational Anger
Category: Conflict
Don’t try to change your organization; change the underlying forces that make it what it is
In the nineteenth century, Charles Lyell, a Scottish geologist, professed the radical view that the same forces that shaped the Earth in the past were still operating in the present moment. His theory challenged the more palatable theory at the time that geological epochs ended in major, catastrophic events, such as species being wiped out… Continue reading Don’t try to change your organization; change the underlying forces that make it what it is
Inner Worlds, Outer Actions
At the second conversation with a new client, she said to me, “I really got the point of what you said in our first session. It was kind of, ‘Stop whining and get back to work.’ ” This was way off. I’d said no such thing. This was clearly the inner world of the client acting out… Continue reading Inner Worlds, Outer Actions
On Blind Spots
If you must be strong, you’ll react every time you see yourself being weak. You will stamp out weakness by being especially strong, displaying what your strength looks like so even you can see it. This may well have side effects, including looking especially weak and self-centered as you beat up on others. If you… Continue reading On Blind Spots