Archetype lenses In systems thinking, we often use mental models, of which the archetype is one variety, to provide us with a lens that helps to simplify the ‘story’ of what’s happening in our work and social environment. Archetypes come in many shapes and sizes. At the macro level, system archetypes decompose the elements and… Continue reading Foolosophy in the boardroom
Tag: professional development
Strategic Causality
Delving beneath the surface In my reflective practice work with mentees from a wide variety of organisations, a good deal of our time is spent exploring ‘beneath the surface’ of events and circumstances. Our aim is to better understand the underlying drivers and factors at work, to inform the shaping of considered responses, and avoid… Continue reading Strategic Causality
Ways of knowing and being in organisational culture
Organisation culture – Part 5 When we hold directors and managers accountable for a problem with organisational culture, we affirm that culture is a product of choices made and actions taken (or neglected). Consequently, it cannot be fixed and immutable. While it may be consistent (and sometimes even seems ossified), it is amenable to reshaping.… Continue reading Ways of knowing and being in organisational culture
Organisational ‘personality’
Organisational Culture – Part 4 The personality metaphor ‘Organisational personhood’ refers to the legal concept that an incorporated entity, like a non-profit or for-purpose organisation, as distinct from its associated people (i.e. directors, managers, or employees), has some of the legal rights and responsibilities enjoyed by ‘natural persons’. (A ‘natural person’ in this sense is a human… Continue reading Organisational ‘personality’
Getting on board with employee engagement
Starting a new job is a little like being a tourist visiting another country, where they speak another language and have different customs. Learning the language and understanding the culture are just parts of the process of onboarding, which is itself only one aspect of the organisation’s talent management and employee engagement system. A basic… Continue reading Getting on board with employee engagement
Sledgehammer or scalpel? Governance capability development
(Part 3 – ‘Duty of Care, Skill and Diligence’ series) “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Abraham Maslow While it may seem obvious that non-profit directors require a set of skills to perform their duties, elections or appointments… Continue reading Sledgehammer or scalpel? Governance capability development
Filters and Factors in Deliberation
Deliberation – where strategic and personal perspectives meet. We directors and executives all like to think that we are rational beings, engaged in objective decision making processes to achieve governance and management goals. All of our best practice models describe linear and logical steps we take (or aspire to) to optimise performance and meet our… Continue reading Filters and Factors in Deliberation
Change resistance and response
Context In my previous post, issues encountered by various of my non-profit clients were identified as catalysts for application of an empathy mapping response, in order to gain greater insight into the underlying causes of resistance to change initiatives. The issues and circumstances were summarised as follows: – a CEO dealing with resistance to cultural… Continue reading Change resistance and response
Empathy and Mindfulness in leadership (and life)
Empathy is one of the featured qualities of effective leaders in much of the leadership literature. Henry Mintzberg lists the collaborative mindset, requiring empathy and insight into a network of relationships, as one of The Five Minds of a Manager. Managing self: the reflective mind-set Managing organizations: the analytic mind-set Managing context: the worldly mind-set… Continue reading Empathy and Mindfulness in leadership (and life)
Complexity – the view from the Chair
Those of us who have had the privilege of chairing meetings know that the view from that seat is entirely different from that of participants. “Like playing multi-dimensional chess” is the analogy sometimes used, as it evokes the multi-focal nature of effective chairing practice. The chair’s role inviting participants to speak and vote on motions… Continue reading Complexity – the view from the Chair