The Corporate Mirror

Fouro makes a great observation:

You can't change organizations. You can only reveal them to themselves. And they like what they see. Or not.

If they follow the "or not" path, you can offer suggestions as to the alternatives that fit for them, and for what they believe. If they haven't evolved to the point of knowing what they believe, you start there and the rest reveals itself.

It is really that simple. The rest consists of removing spackle and years of self-deception.

Comments

[fouro]

Hey Jen.

Thanks for the linky. Hope to post a bit more this weekend on my own "how needs a why" riff of late.

jbr: I like that observation. Reflection or refraction is an important distinction to make. In many cases, the feedback loop that is customer/employee/strategy(company)/result, if well listened to while not tampering will be a solid check and balance or weathervane. The problem is not shortage of truth, as I think you observe, but listening to it instead of banishing it to the basement.

[Dustin]

This is why so many businesses that try to be authentic fail. They don't know who they are. It's kind of like the emporer's clothes. They're naked, but no one will tell them . . . except the customer. Then everyone puts a hand over the customer's mouth and reassures the CEO that it isn't true.

I'm beginning to think there's more delusional people out there than people in touch with reality.

[Pepita]

I can only agree with that wholeheartedly! It is true! And it is my 'how' in business:-).

[jbr]

interesting post. my company has a goal regarding a change in culture. your post makes me wonder about what people see in the culture change mirror.

we have begun making the inevitable changes that come from a new cheif officer. however, are those really changes or more spackle and paint?

makes me wonder if the mirror we use is similar to the mirror in the Harry Potter book. a magic mirror that only shows what we want to see...not the truth, but our heart's desire. in the book, a person who is deceived by the mirror will waste their life away gazing at the unreal, while the real world passes them by.

i suppose we fall into the "or not" category, but even if we don't like what we see, are all changes for the best? time will tell.