Hacking HR to Build an Adaptability Advantage
To adapt, organisations must equip their people at all levels with a solution focused "shared thinking system" in a similar way to equipping them with a shared IT system. This shared set of "adaptability tools" will develop a mindset of "possibility thinking". Embedded working practices will encourage people to Go M.A.D. (Make A Difference) in line with the strategic direction & operational requirements of the organisation.
In summary: Adaptability starts in the head. Help people to develop their thinking & their actions/results will follow if support is provided & working practices are embedded.
SYSTEMS THINKING -I would agree Andy, business need to implement systems thinking and move away from a hierarchical structure and start silo busting! This top is emerging in many of the groups is diffrent shapes but basicly it comes down to systems thinking
This principlehave been around for may years and countless book written it is based on the work and insights of Deming, Ohno, Scholtes, Seddon, and many others. It is about all of us recognising that similar to entities in nature and indeed all of the natural world, a human organisation is a highly complex adaptive system in it's own right.
The key insight in system thinking is that when you look at the performance of the organisation, around 95% is determined by the system, i.e. the way the work is designed, and therefore only 5% is determined directly by the people. Therefore, we need to learn to stop using command & control thinking and acting on the people, and instead act on the system, the way the work is designed.
The people doing the work actually do the re-design, managers and leaders remove the obstacles. The adaptability principle necessary here is a complete change in the way we think about organisations, human nature and motivation.
Business activates are connected as part of a larger systems . Each activity only exists to serve the purpose of the system. Parts or units do not have a reason for existence that are independent of the larger system it serves, parts cannot have individual goals apart from the system.
Too many organisation focus only of the 5% the people and appear not to have no understanding how a system works, as I said above management needs to focus on removing the barriers within the 95% the system. A system needs to be designed to the customer purpose enable employees to succeed in achieving the this purpose.
Hi Graham, I like what your pointing to, this for me is the fundermentals of crucible leadership and learning. By anticipating crucible experiences by drawing on the experiences of thought leadership in the conversations and the synthesis and sharing of different ideas. This is the difference from egocentric thoughts and ideas to a holistic learning best practice. This very approach of the hackathon lays out the fundermentals of this concept so as to create emergent ideas and leadership.
You mention that "Adaptability starts in the head", yet the previous sprint that identified the enemies of adaptability identified fear (an emotion), hierarchy (a structural constraint), inflexibility (a behavioral attribute), lack of trust (a relationship constraint), lack of diversity (a demographic constraint) and lack of skill (a competence constraint).
Is the "shared thinking system" creating some group think around thinking? When what you have is a hammer, does everything start to look like a nail?
I feel kind of compelled to reply because of the comment posted on the "Transparency" entry that referenced back to this idea. There seems to be an awful lot of agreement going on in these discussions, lack of trust, reputation, not wanting to appear to a be an A-Hole is probably one of the constraints of this type of interaction. But there is a kind of irony that we are discussing "hacking" a system while simultaneously using a popularity contest to synthesize the "best ideas".
Hi Martin, thanks so much, I really appreciate your comment here. As one of the guides for the hackathon, I wanted to give you an inside view into how the synthesis process on the hackathon works. Despite perhaps looking from the outside like a popularity contest, where the items with the most "likes" win, the "like" system is actually only one piece of the process.
We view synthesis as an opportunity to combine the best ideas from the hackathon team with some of the thinking and knowledge that the MIX brings from years working with some of the people and organizations at the cutting edge of management innovation. So the synthesis for these sprints takes into account both the best ideas to come out of the hackathon team AND fuses some of the knowledge and experiences of the MIX/CIPD teams. It looks at both ideas that were rated highly, but also pulls out some gems that may not have received as much attention and/or votes. We aspire to make the hackathon a meritocracy of ideas, not simply a voting contest.
I hope this came through in the synthesis we did of Sprint 1.1+1.2, and you'll also see it at the end of this sprint as well.
Personally, I've really enjoyed your thoughtful contributions to the hackathon so far, and I also appreciate the open spirit in which you've been sharing your ideas. Looking forward to seeing your continued contributions, especially as we prepare to enter the hacking phase!
Thanks for reply, good to know it's not just popularity and that there is an intelligent presence behind the contribution to sift through them, connect the dots, value differences, reduce group think, and provide direction. If a presence like that existed in an organization it might stand a better chance of adapting.
Hi Martin,
Thinking is comprised of various elements including internal dialogue (both statements & questions), recalled memories & imagination. From these elements "fear" (hindering imagined future) as an emotion can be created. Hence thought precedes emotion. Likewise "inflexibility" as a behaviour is preceded by inflexible thinking.
"Group Think" is an example of shared thinking system that could be hindering. However, I am proposing a shared thinking system that is both helpful & solution focused - one that would enable flexibility through enabling higher quality questions & greater imagination. This enables the individuals & teams that comprise an organisation to be more flexible, open minded & adaptable.
Hi Andy, as someone who places a very high value on thinking, I have to disagree about (conscious) thinking preceding emotion. As the seat of emotional response, the amygdala sets the cortex up for specific, predictably irrational (as Dan Ariely calls it) modes of thinking that have allowed our ancestors to survive against pretty overwhelming odds, and not always to the benefit of those around us. They include the unconscious fight/flight/freeze/f&$k mode, the sexually aroused dilated pupil flirting response, the stress induced galvanic skin response, the ethnocentric stereotyping classification mode, the ego protecting defensive indignant response, and the list goes on.
I'm not saying it's one or the other, but as often as (conscious) thinking can precede emotion, emotion (unconsciously released chemicals) creates a context that influences thinking in a way that is often beyond our control and frequently beyond reason.
Hi Martin, technically speaking thinking and feeler functions are rational functions, while sensing and intuition are irrational functions... However it maybe with regard to the terms your using for rational/irrational. Rational means reason, while the original latin meaning of irrational (not the modern day term) was to see beyond that which the rational mind can not fathom... To see beyond reason.
I agree re the reptilian brain & fight/flight response. You might want to consider what triggers the amygdala & if this can happen without imagination (an element of thought). However, it is possible to consciously think happy/sad thoughts & influence emotions. Thinking can be both conscious & unconscious. Remember that we are debating the adaptability of an organisation & key principles. If Victor Frankel (Man's Search For Meaning) can control his thoughts & adapt under extreme conditions ie concentration camp, by demonstrating the power of conscious choice/free will, then surely organisations should encourage the use of conscious thinking - in a solution focused way - to increase adaptability at all levels.
So adaptability requires people to consciously think about their thinking and not just default into auto-pilot. I can go along with that. My daughter sent me this video which suddenly has a place here. (http://ow.ly/lFpGd) It's a called "The earth shattering amazing speech that'll change your view of adulthood", guess I was at the pub and missed it when I transitioned to adulthood :)
Thanks Martin - it is a great video that illustrates the choices people have about the way they think. We are on the same page!
Now imagine if organisations helped their people to think about their thinking and equipped them with simple, practical techniques/tools to then think in a helpful, solution focused way - at all levels - in order to make a difference! If those tools are also based upon a proven methodology/grounded research for achieving results/accelerating performance, it is possible to have a "shared thinking system" that is both flexible (ie people can have different goals) and robust. The embedding of this within an organisation will dramatically enhance an organisations adaptability.
Nice pick up Martin, I would refer to all of these concepts as somatic, transparency is both a cognitive perception and kinesthetic experience, i believe that all of these adaptability descriptions are somatic. And that's key for adaptability. I think the reframe for me is a holistic solution focused at all levels, using all four jungian functions, thinking, feeling, sensory and intuition.
Being solution focused enables us to operate out of the 20/80, where 20% drives 80% positive outcome differences.
When we are operating out of a problem resolution mindset, we are focusing on 80% that only drives 20% difference. This is a critical developmental area for organizations, to learn this principle and integrate this mindset so they that they can create high performance.
Yup - you've got it Keith!
Welcome to the realisation club - so many people still think making interventions at the "actions" level will bring the desired results. But even World Class Best Practice actions will fail if people have not got adaptable mindsets & old/hindering ways of thinking.
>> In summary: Adaptability starts in the head.
I like this Andy!
>>Help people to develop their thinking & their actions/results will follow...
So, in terms of organisational adaptability is the principle 'Think'? If so I like that too ;-)
KeithG
Been working with Andy & team for a few years now and would liken the Go MAD framework to a 'thinking multi-tool'. Whatever your area or focus of thinking it will serve you because it's building & strengthening your capacity to think. Like the multi-tool might have 7 key tools (cork screw, blade, file etc. note order!) the frameworks 7 principles assist & support wherever you apply them home, work, camping/leisure etc. Very strong links to change & project management too - real don't leave home without it stuff for me.
Hi Bruce,
For the past 15 years I have been using a well researched framework for Making A Difference in 40 different countries (see www.gomadthinking.com) with over 250 organisations. Whilst the primary goal has been to improve business performance by equipping people (at all levels) with the thinking tools to apply to their work, the adaptability of various teams/divisions has rocketed when they have shared the Go MAD Framework within the team, division or organisation. Giving people the time, tools, freedom and support to think in a solution focused way has given people greater flexibility and adaptability and their teams/organisations a greater competitive advantage.
A great example of this is MidCounties Co-op who are now a Times top 25 Employer and massively successful retailer in diverse markets. They have engaged their people in solution focused thinking for the past 5 years and are now more adaptable in outthinking their competition.
Our education system should definitely be providing solution focused thinking tools and skills. The ability to design high quality possibility based questions is a key skill - not just for adults in organisations (where less than 10% can do this to a really great standard) but for children and people in all walks of life.
I have just established a Community Engagement Programme in Leicestershire (www.thinkleicestershire.com), provided an online thinking platform and am training 1000 volunteer Community Coaches to support people in thinking in a more solution focused way. This is a life skill - not just restricted to organisations being adaptable.
Hi Jamie, It will be easier for you to look at www.gomadthinking.com to understand more about the Go MAD Framework & applications. Happy to pick this up offline & talk you through or demo some of the tools. email me at andy.gilbert@gomadthinking.com
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