Hey man, nice post. Having been bailed out of jail at 3 a.m., I get your point.
And, while I dig your post, this is actually connected to a larger issue that makes me feel a little bit ragey.
The importance of real trusting and resilient relationships of all kinds is, I think, obvious to most people. But we still live in a world where it is considered by many, if not most to be “not work related“…and I have come to really dislike this phrase. The dominant business, management and even HR philosophies tells us that anything related to the human being, or the individual is soft, silly, not serious, and not important to grown up business. This is also the philosophy that gave us the idea that “work” and “life” were two separate things which need to be “balanced.”
So, we can talk about relationships, and friendships and other things social…just not at work. “We”re here to do a job, not make friends damnit!”
I heard Jamie Notter say something last week that has been rattling around in my head. “Trust enables speed.” And this is, I think, a perfect example of what I am talking about. There are a lot of organizations talking about the importance of speed…speed is a legitimate business issue. But are any of those organizations talking about the trust (and communication and relationships) that enables it? Are there HR leaders, CEOs, CFOs who have prioritized making their organizations more trusting and trustworthy?
There are a lot of organizations talking about innovation, another good example. Innovation is a super-cool, legitimate business issue. But how many of those organizations and organizational leaders are talking and acting seriously about the diversity and curiosity and experimentation and failure that feed innovation? Not many. Most of them do not want anything to do with that stuff.
“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”
–HERBERT SPENCER
Evidence of the importance and value of real relationships is piling up all around us. Yet most organizations ignore, deny, resist. I think that the disconnect between what we are doing today and what we need to be doing today may be as great as it ever has been. Organizations are not simply slow to evolve, adapt and integrate, they are blatantly resistant to what is going on around them.
Luckily, we do not need anybody’s permission to build and use social capital…and we can, in fact, use our social capital to change these organizations that are trying to fight with reality, possibly even save them. And set talent free.
Have a good week man, see you in Chicago.
-joe