Rhizomatous organisation, where departments within an organisation are connected by a unifying vision, a North Star, while they expand on the strength of the whole. In part two, we look at successful organisations that have behaved just like rhizomatous plants and sprouted new entities in some cases right beside an existing one. More importantly, I share how Dunbar’s number has an influence.
Some tree species (cottonwoods, aspens, poplars, huon pines) are rhizomatous, so that each new tree is actually part of the other trees. They seem like separate entities but they are part of the whole. This provides a beautiful analogy for departments within an organisation, that are connected by a unifying vision, a North Star, while they expand on the strength of the whole.
While all change requires some level of compromise. The most important thing is to never compromise on your values. If your personal values are at odds with the values of the company you work for, you will need to leave. Staying will eventually lead to frustration, unhappiness and even illness. I leave you this week with the words of Janis Joplin … “Don’t compromise yourself. You’re all you’ve got.”
Johann Sebastian Bach ingeniously balanced two opposing, contradictory forces in music: diatonicism and the contradictory force: chromaticism. Bach was the pioneer in perfectly intertwining these two musical forces to achieve musical equilibrium. This intertwining of two contrasting forces is a great analogy for business today. Leaders must explore and exploit in tandem.
Studies show we pass fear and biases from generation to generation. We must be vigilant of how we sculpt the brains of those who come after us, because sculpting brains sculpts our realities.
We name a Ponzi scheme after Charles Ponzi, an infamous proponent of the scheme. A Ponzi scheme leads victims to believe that profits are coming from product sales or other means, and they remain unaware that other investors are the source of funds.
We should celebrate the gainsayer, we should celebrate the people who make changes for the greater good.
Change of direction training is not the same as agility training. Change of direction training prepares an athlete for predictable, steady situations. Agility helps the athlete’s overall performance. Agility includes cognitive agility.
In a world of rapid change. Reactive decision making must bolster proactive decision making. Reactive decision making is a key ingredient for flexible mindsets required for a world amid rapid change.
“He who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new… partly from the incredulity of mankind, who will never admit the merit of anything new, until they have seen it proved by the event.”
For so many changemakers, innovation and transformation workers operating in risk-averse working environments is not only frustrating, but can be a threat to their mental health. To exacerbate the situation, guardians of the status quo will often ostracise, obstruct and even “gaslight” the changemaker.