Autumn

I recently had the good fortune to address a group of about 100 employees of the B.F. Saul Company about my book HUM.  In the book, and often in my work with clients, I discuss the many lessons that organizational groups can learn by observing how systems work in nature.  It therefore wasn’t a surprise when one of the themes that emerged from our lively conversation was how many of us were eagerly anticipating autumn.  It seems as if we each have deeply buried in us a “back to school” outlook that leads to setting goals, getting organized, making plans, and reconnecting with those we have been away from over the summer.  The crisper air energizes us to get back into healthy routines and look at ways to improve our lives and workplaces. 

It is no coincidence, then, that fall is always a busy time for us at the Schiller Center.  Over the summer, when the pace slows down a bit, many organizational leaders have an opportunity to reflect on the wide range of issues impacting their group, their employees, their productivity, their growth, and vision.  Once fall arrives and people get back into the grind, many of these leaders are eager to implement change.  Even if they don’t know exactly how to go about tackling their most pressing issues, many of them return in the fall with the conviction that they don’t want to repeat patterns of the past.   For us, it is a time of renewed energy and enthusiasm as we welcome the many requests we get for consultations and strategic planning retreats, eager to examine the unique context of each group and help create meaningful change.

Take the opportunities autumn presents to ask yourself if your workplace is performing as smoothly as it could be.  Are all team members invested in the same shared goals?  Is each member positioned to contribute his or her strengths?  Are there gaps or overlaps that need to be addressed?  Is the culture of your team positive and productive?  You can also use this time of year to set personal goals and determine dates by which you will achieve them, as well as who can support you in their accomplishment.  Happy Fall to All!

Lessons from Nature- Part 2

“If we look to the natural world we can discern patterns and principles that help us understand and influence organizations so that we can connect people in positive change.” (Hum, 59).

At first glance, it may not be obvious to associate change and management within an organization as having any connection with nature.  Yet, if we take a closer look at the natural world and its biological systems, there are many lessons to be learned about how human organizations can adapt to and manage change.

Throughout the course of my career working with many different organizations, the most profound lesson I have incorporated in my work is the importance of connectivity.  In both our personal and professional lives, we seek to create connections and relationships.  Animals in their natural environment also pursue this, choosing to live in packs and work together to accomplish a common goal. This interdependence is a key to organizational success in both nature and in the office. Like populations of geese or a pride of lions, organizations where team members understand that they need to rely and lean on each other are far more successful than those that maintain complete independence.

So, the next time you go on a hike or hit the beach on vacation, make sure to take a look around you and try to identify how some of the connections observed in nature organically occur in the most purposeful and efficient parts of your own organization.