Changing… Disruption
Nearly all my clients this year have been experiencing disruption. It's not the type of disruption we used to lead and say, "Yeah! Let's disrupt ourselves. Let's be innovative!"
Instead, it's a deeply disturbing disruption forced on teams by outside events.
The kind of disruption we all felt as COVID-19 emerged five years ago in March 2020 challenges the pattern of our everyday lives and work. It asks us to reconsider "what is our purpose now?" It also asks deep questions about who we are and how we want to be perceived as we respond. It goes right to the core of our identity as people and as 'leaders'.
As I've been working with teams and organisations that are experiencing disruption, some paradoxical observations and lessons have emerged.
Everyone in the 'lower parts' of the hierarchy wants to wait until the 'leaders' have worked out the answers and then cascade those answers down.
When the 'leaders' can't do this (and of course they can't - it's hard enough for them to do their own jobs, let alone everyone else's too!), their people are disappointed and criticise their leaders for being incompetent. And to be fair, is seems that in some regards, they are quite correct. You see at this point, everyone is. There is so much learning to be done.
There is a tendency to 'hunker down' as the disruption makes an impact. It has been interesting to watch the tendency to 'circle the wagons' and defend the previous plans, strategies, and values that define who we are in this organisation.
Then, there is the gradual recognition that we need to respond differently. Teams begin to come together to increase their resilience as overwork and burnout set in.
But it takes enormous encouragement to get people to step up into the void to 'do something'. The sense of agency seems very low. The belief that they can make an impact is very low. (What a shame for senior leaders that this is how most people in their organisations respond!)
Eventually, a decision emerges within those most affected: We have to do something! They realise that they can't map an entire path like a project plan, but they can make a start. Movement is essential. You can course correct as you go, but remaining paralysed is hopeless.
Who we want to be - or the values a team gathers around - start to show. They begin to be used to make decisions in uncertainty. Start doing what seems right now. Gradually, people begin to experiment. If conditions change again, they will respond again.
Watch this space - more updates when I find the space, time, and energy. It's been exhausting for me, too. So much newness!
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