XO Fundamentals
“The unique power of purpose is to elicit the extraordinary.”
Xtra-Ordinary’s purpose is to help individuals, teams and organisations move from beautiful to powerful and from organisation to organism, through the power of purpose.
From Beautiful to Powerful
Organisations typically evolve their internal structure from a founding purpose, surrounded by a number of functional areas – resembling a flower – more specifically, a daisy. Each specialty (petal) is typically characterised by different skills, language, training and professional norms. Each petal is only connected to a small part of the central purpose. Growth in this structure typically involves more of the same under stable conditions. In other words, if conditions are predictable and controllable, the structure might well lead to significant growth opportunities of the same type.
When conditions are volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, and the environment demands change to meet customer’s changing needs, this structure does not self adapt. In fact, the very rigidity that allowed speedy, controlled growth in stable times, is what will resist change in uncertain times.
Remaining purpose-lead in these times, requires a shift in position for each of the specialist areas from a static connection to a single part of the purpose, to an embrace of the whole purpose, coupled with a vibrant and resilient relationship with other specialist areas. This can be likened to an atomic structure. The structure enables true integration around a shared purpose and exponential growth through the innovations that spring forth from the cross-over and interaction of different specialist areas with others – all in service of a shared purpose.
Getting from Beautiful to Powerful is easier said than done. The structural process changes are intertwined within the very humanity of the people who hold power in the petals (silos), and the measurements and reward systems that keep the flower structure firmly in place, despite significant efforts to bring about the atom. A structural change without an understanding of the human elements that bring underlying tensions into the change process, is bound to fail at worst, and be littered with challenges, roadblocks and delays, at best.
To get from Beautiful to Powerful we have to understand that structures are socially constructed by people with vision, purpose, power and a strategy. Many of these structures are keeping organisations in past eras, unable to transform to the changing needs of their stakeholders because of the institutional power and rewards that those structures represent. Simply recognising the needs for, and subsequently repurposing, will have very limited effect within the organization unless the underlying working working processes change simultaneously.
in ways of working has limited benefit
Therefore, the work needs to start with the people who hold the power, the measurements and the reward. The work cannot start at either of these levels because it will lead to defensiveness and lead to *armoured conversations that have no power to enable authentic conversation, creativity and integration. Instead, we need to start at the heart, rekindle a shared understanding of the vision and the purpose, acknowledge the unique identities of the individuals in the team, explore a common identity and co-create a strategy that aligns with all these elements. Without doubt this is a process with disruptive outcomes. The journey is not always comfortable and many realise on route that they flourish in a different environment.
In essence, going from beautiful to powerful is courage. We need to explore and re-discover our own permeability and stare into our inflexible boundaries that may be comfortable and reasonably safe, but no longer serve our purpose in a complex, changing world. As we rediscover the strength of our permeability, we can start engaging with the new skills, tools and language that is required to thrive in this new environment – and practice new ways of working and leading. We need to put off certainty and replace it with curiosity; put off perfection and take on a desire for purposeful excellence. We need put off shame and blame and embrace failure as a necessary teacher. We need to do the work of being wholehearted and bringing our whole selves to fulfil our shared purpose. We need to learn daily how to engage people in a more meaningful and productive manner such that we may find the full potential in the people and the processes, and use our growing courage to develop that potential.
How do we become Permeable?
Working in an atomic way requires much courage, coupled with new knowledge, skills and language, amongst other things. It is a journey, not a destination but it is powerful and rewarding enough to embrace the journey toward co-creating a new culture over time where working courageously in an integrated manner, is the norm.
This way of working requires a new environment and a new leadership who are willing to dare greatly and take people on the transformation journey. Dare to Lead™, Brené Brown’s courage building curriculum, provides a strong foundation for the type of leadership and engagement skills and language that can enable leaders and teams to move towards becoming more permeable.