Is your organization sick enough?

Is your organization sick enough for you to act on it ?

Probably, but you do not see it … yet.

However, if you look carefully, do you see any of these telltale signs ?

Your employees are not a motivated as they used to be ?
You hire the best… and they leave soon after ?
You oversell your job opportunities but the newbies are disappointed when they see the “real “ job ?
You have too many grievances from the employees ?
Your executive meetings are very calm and polite ?
You keep rehashing the same litany and people are nodding in agreement ?
Your “numbers” look good but you need to present them in a way that they “look good”… but you know ?
You feel the pressure to make your numbers but feel that something is wrong with the business ?
You focus on the financials and less on your original mission ?
… do you even remember WHY your organization strived in the first place ?
Going to work every morning is not as stimulating as it used to be ?
Your employees leave even if you offer them a raise ?
Your employees walk looking towards the floor and do not greet each other ?
You do not remember the last time you saw a genuine smile on the shop floor when you were around ?
People hide their mistakes ?
Your executive board takes all the decisions without consulting the shop floor…. or anybody else ?

Do not even start to think that all those symptoms are “normal” in any company !

Alcoholic anonymous always start their meeting by saying “ Hi, my name is soandso and I’m an alcoholic.”

Why ?

To always, always admit that there is a problem and that the first step of the cure is to accept and see it.

I recently asked a participant to a series of meeting on the intelligent organization (see www.organisationintelligente.com ) who should attend those events ? She candidly answered that those who would benefit most from the reflexion and deep thinking are those who … do not attend !

If you really think your organization is perfect and profitable …beware. Look again to make sure you do not miss the next opportunity.

If you feel flustered reading this and decide to stop reading… beware of the mirror effect, you know when you look in the mirror and do not like what you see reflected at you and decide that mirrors are simply not useful anyway…

If you decide not to share this article with your executive board to discuss the possibility of this organizational sickness in your midst…beware.

I am not saying your organization is going to hell, far from it !

I am saying that if you feel your organization is not at its full potential, you need only to look down from your position (assuming the traditional hierarchy is still in force …. yeah right !) to uncover a vast collective intelligence ready to support you and your team.

Neuroscience has demonstrated that neural connections are fluid. New connections form continuously when neurones are solicited. The same connections are strengthened when used again and degenerate when not …

How connected are your employees ?

When did you last used the powerful social and neural network in your organization ?

When was the last time you communicated clearly, completely and in a very transparent manner your last results, your new vision, the emerging market or your plan to re-organize the company (again!) ?

When was the last time you allowed your employees to ask any questions, ANY questions regarding your so called “plans” ?

When did you face their preoccupations honestly, openly ?

Oh.. when was the last time you went to your employees and shared YOUR preoccupations, honestly, openly ?