Don't mention the 'P' word...

"We do not rise to the level of our goals. We fall to the levels of our systems."

James Clear

We know 'performance' in complex systems is interdependent, emergent, and connected. 

This is a problem for the regular kind of corporate Learning & Development which is based on separation, compliance and a focus on individuals.

I work as a thinking partner and advisor with mid sized, value oriented companies going through significant change. I help you to build new capability and mindsets through shifting your approach to organisational development.

Comments

Post a Comment

Please let me know your thoughts on this...

Popular posts from this blog

Why organisations resist thinking of themselves as connected 'systems'

“In a world of separation and domination, systems thinking is subversive.” Dr Elizabeth Sawin The key to improving the work of organisations - and the contributions of the people in them - is to look at them as connected 'systems'. (Put another way, because improving the performance of individual silos won’t make the overall performance of the organisation any better). However nobody seems to want to do this. So, who’s resisting systems thinking? Executives don’t want it because means questioning the current mindset and behaviours that have brought them status and ‘results’ Individual managers don’t want it because they assume it threatens their control over their local silos L&D / HR don’t want it because their remit does not extent to the organisation, as its still rooted in the ‘performance’ of individuals (and occasionally, specific teams). And employees don't want it because they often don’t care / need to care about the overall organisation.
Read more

'Talent' is now a catch all term

"Bureaucracy is a construction designed to maximise the distance between a decision-maker and the risk of the decision." Nicholas Taleb In most organisations 'Talent' and its 'Management' are now bureaucratic terms. They typically cover one or more of the following: 'Talent': A more socially acceptable word for 'employees'. An employee defined by leaders as of more value to the organisation than other employees, based on the definitions of 'valuable' that leaders have decided to use. 'Talent Management': Acknowledgement of an employees' potential (although not currently being fully realised). Encouraging people to join the organisation (recruitment) - new people that leaders think will do the things that need to be done in the way leaders want them done. Reassigning existing employees to new roles (internal job moves) - to do the things that leaders need to be done in the way leaders want them done. Grouping employees agains...
Read more

No one in corporate 'L&D' wants to create LESS 'L&D'

"I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.' Maslow The Shirky Principle  prevents corporate 'Learning and Development' teams (note the how this team title reinforces what's coming...) from looking beyond a 'learning' 'solution'. In the complex organisational systems in which the 'L&D' team work, there are a host of influences and factors that could be reviewed, considered and challenged first: Are performance expectations clearly defined? Are performance expectations fully understood? (Are the barriers to achieving the agreed performance expectations understood and accounted for?) Is there a routine of regular and insightful feedback provided to support people to achieve the agreed performance standards? Can people easily access information, data, resources and guidance needed to achieve and maintain the agreed performance standards? Are performance and processes - and supp...
Read more