The Way Forward Paradox 14

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The first year of this OD project was truly amazing and would have been described by many as ‘Impossible!’ given the negative destructive ‘them & us’ IR history of the company.

Once we had realised that there was no future for the project given the eroding influences of external forces outside our control my best Facilitator asked me if I could summarise what we had done, what were the key points that led the employees to achieve amazing results even though ‘our success was dragged away from us’.

I captured a ‘rough and ready’ feelings based list of my different approaches IN RESPONSE TO the fluidity of employees' changing needs, learning priorities and the ‘vision’ we were pursuing.

What follows is that list with reasons why it worked so successfully. It is not a formula or a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution of ‘how to succeed in OD without really trying’. It was not part of a predetermined plan. It is not a linear system list of sequential step-by-step certainties leading to the answer.

When working with CAS (complex adaptive systems) what emerges may well have several ‘answers’ depending on which route is chosen. It may require a creative novel approach in response to particular local needs or uncertainties.

The list below is of some responses we needed and created in The Way Forward OD project. It is more akin to the ‘parental toolkit’ a parent would have absorbed from experience and draws on or modifies when responding to family needs or caring.

It’s purpose in this context is to stimulate your learning, creativity and synergy in a similar way to how it stimulates mine.

Also, I shared most of these tools with the employees involved in The Way Forward which enabled them to co-create the culture change process with me.

The list is in no order of priority.

** DON’T do it TO or FOR people, DO IT WITH PEOPLE – share situations, data, options, disappointments, responsible risks, successes etc.

Why do I say this?

I have learned in my 30+ years of OD Consultancy that the best ROIs, outstanding results, achieving the impossible, self sustaining projects happen when the project is owned and co-created by the employees who will live the new culture.

Sharing the experiences of disappointments, responsible risks, successes etc. releases and realises more of employees’ untapped potential and builds relationships based on trust, respect and fun.

It also enhances employees’ maturity, self management, self confidence, initiative and informal leadership.

It also creates intrinsic motivation for you and your employees.

** Communicate transparently, authentically and as early as possible

Why do I say this?

Communication is inevitably a CAS (complex adaptive system) in which it is unknowable and unpredictable what will emerge in advance of it happening.

Communications are controlled by the receiver (not the transmitter) and if you are present are always ‘on’, you can’t turn them off. Everything you say and do IS communications AND everything you don’t say and don’t do IS communications because the receiver will create their own ‘messages received’ even if you didn’t intend to transmit one.

If you don’t communicate transparently, authentically and as early as possible the receivers (e.g. employees) will fill the gap with their interpretation of why you haven’t done so and often with negative self fulfilling prophecies which will be difficult to undo (resurrection is much more difficult than birth).

** Don’t try to “cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s”.......

.......leave space and the opportunity for people to contribute, influence and realise the benefits of ownership – including stretching and growing people’s potential, and the discomfort that can accompany this – leave space for things to emerge from the complex adaptive systems process

Why do I say this?

If you don’t leave space and opportunity for employees to be creative, take initiative, realise untapped potential and make mistakes from which to learn, what do you think they will do with your ‘perfect, I’m in control’ approach especially if they have a better idea?

Most likely is they receive the message that you don’t value them or their contribution and they withdraw because they feel like the tourist visiting Dublin for the first time who asks a local the way to Trinity College. The local resident replies, ‘well if I was you I wouldn’t start from here’.

** Don’t seek or expect certainty or absolute clarity or predictability – don’t wait until you are 100% sure before action but do involve others in this process (take some risks together)

Why do I say this?

Certainty when dealing with CAS is an oxymoron.

By definition CAS (complex adaptive systems) is a creative, synergistic, emergent unknowable and unpredictable in advance of something happening process.

Perfection when applied in linear systems isn’t. So, if dealing with linear systems ok, if dealing with CAS (e.g. culture change, self managing teams, potential etc.) and you wait until you are 100% sure before action, you will wait a long time and take very little effective action.

The key is to involve employees, be inclusive. Take action AND responsible risks together to achieve ‘success’ (or not, in which case share the disappointment, learn a lot together and try a different more creative approach together).

Also, be sure to be honest with employees about the risks involved. They self manage their lives and live with consequences so will understand what you are doing and why. Resist the temptation to ‘protect’ your employees from risks or ‘bad news’ you think may upset them. They know from experience that these things are part and parcel of living, removing them is in-credible therefore despite your positive intentions.

** “Sacrifice control on the altar of trust” (of people and yourself) and “Sacrifice perfection on the altar of ownership”

Why do I say this?

‘Control’ and ‘Perfection’ are ego tripping par excellence. Neither of them will develop two key relationship aspects that are vital in a new culture: TRUST and OWNERSHIP. Without these two key values (and others) you and your employees will be trapped in your respective comfort zones doing what you have always done which will get you what you have always got.

Why bother with a new culture then?

You must let go ‘control’ and give it to your employees (they control their own lives, why not their livelihoods?) and ‘perfection’ because you will be dealing with CAS. If you do so you will build trust and ownership, if you don’t you will build suspicion and alienation.

** Don’t rely on what worked in periods of slow or no change – be prepared to think out of the box (e.g. keep asking, “what if we do the opposite of what we’re thinking of doing?”)

Why do I say this?

Relying on what worked in past periods of slow or no change is a gamble because much has changed in the recent past. The speed of change has also quickened making the need for adaptability, resilience and proactivity more critical. CAS (complex adaptive systems) such as culture change also need a different style of management than linear systems if you are to achieve the impossibles and highest returns on investment.

A useful stimulus to creativity, synergy and possibilities is to frequent ask the question, ‘what if we do the opposite of what we’re thinking of doing?’. This is a way of embracing the increasing uncertainty evident in today’s more turbulent times and turning it to your advantage.

** Be comfortable with the uncomfortable

Why do I say this?

We all develop what is called a ‘comfort zone’ based on familiarity and the degree of comfort and predictability that that brings. Comfort zones are not always ‘nice’ zones, but they are zones we have come to know through repetition and with a degree of confidence. They are fundamentally emotional zones similar to a security blanket.

In terms of change, however, comfort zones can be escape routes away from the richest sources of potential, creativity and synergy. In practice it is really productive to explore those areas of change that will require you to step outside your current comfort zone.

This is likely to make you feel uncomfortable in the short term but in the longer term it will help you to expand your existing limiting comfort zone (this can be thought of as growth and development and frequently will release and realise more of your potential). So, you may be uncomfortable doing it but get comfortable with that because that is often where the ‘gold’ of change lies.

** Encourage leadership from everyone and offer lots of support, conviction and stickability – as Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see” – make your behaviour the role model and champion of the change process

Why do I say this?

In terms of culture change, creation or development, words are often inadequate or impotent motivators, influences or persuaders. They are too weak and vulnerable to the vagaries of communications.


Behaviour, however, is much more powerful and robust. Employees who may be suspicious of the meaning of your words and doubt their honesty and may hold back on committing to a new culture because of a lack of trust, will find it very hard to sustain such hesitancy in face of your consistent positive behaviour. It will always ‘out trump’ the words.


An old Yorkshire saying comes to mind: ‘if you really want to know a person, pay attention to what they do rather than only what they may say’.

** Learn continuously and treat all situations and outcomes as feedback from which to learn – don’t fear “failure”, there’s no such thing, only results and feedback

Why do I say this?

Well, although this may sound a bit dramatic, I believe that once you choose to stop learning you choose to stop living. I also think that we are designed to be learners as parents watching their children develop from birth will often confirm.

The most valuable and common question in use in a new culture should be, ‘what did we / can we learn from this?’. Used in a ‘chain’ like the 5 Whys in continuous Improvement, ‘what have we learned?’ x 5 always produces improved creativity, synergy and productivity.

Anecdotally, Edison trying to create a light bulb when asked, ‘that’s experiment 2,001 that has failed. It’s never going to work. We should give up’, replied, ‘No, no, no. We’ve now learned 2,001 ways in which it doesn’t work, that’s great progress to finding a way that does’.

It would be great to report that Edison’s 2,002 experiment worked but I don’t know if it did.

Feedback is the breakfast of Champions. ‘Failure’ is often seen as an ‘end’, but that’s just a perception. The only true failure is to have never even tried.

** Expect success – and surprises (it can be a “roller coaster” ride)

Why do I say this?

Because our expectations are powerful influencers of what might or might not emerge from a CAS.

Sports psychology has proven this many many times and is used widely today. If you expect to lose, what do you think is most likely to happen? And if you expect to win?

It is not a guarantee, of course, but if genuinely believed it may well create a positive self fulfilling prophecy. In Yorkshire we play a game called Rugby League. Once a year a Challenge Cup Final is held at Wembley. After winning the final 8 times in a row top of the League Wigan played middle of the League Sheffield odds on to lose by all the bookmakers.

Sheffield won and their coach was interviewed and asked, ‘how did you do that? What did you say to the lads?’. He said, ‘we knew we were going to win the match before we kicked off so we didn’t talk about it much during the game. We talked mainly about how we would celebrate afterwards’.

** Apply systems thinking – a reductionist approach is unlikely to be effective

Why do I say this?

Systems thinking regards a business as an organism with inter-dependent parts much more akin to a plant growing than to a machine. Systems thinking embraces CAS (complex adaptive systems) and works with the unknowable unpredictable in advance emergent characteristics.

Reductionism relies on analysis and breaking down of the whole into smaller parts that are easier to understand. Reductionism embraces linear thinking and systems much more akin to a mechanic working on a machine.

The best outcome you can expect if you apply reductionism to a CAS such as a new culture is a sub-optimisation of the new culture’s potential and performance.

** Don’t rely on extrinsic motivators such as money and fear (e.g. carrot and stick) – do recognise, support and use the immensely more powerful intrinsic motivators

Why do I say this?

Because many leaders and managers still ask me the wrong question about motivation. They often ask, ‘how do I (the leader) motivate people?’.

My reply is, ‘you don’t, you can’t’. Motivation comes from the inside (i.e. intrinsic motivation), it is not something Leaders do TO people (i.e. extrinsic motivation). Your employees (and you) come to work each day already motivated….or you would be dead.

They may not be motivated to achieve what you want them to or they may be motivated to destroy your business but they are (intrinsically) motivated.

Even today some ‘Leaders’ would misunderstand the above and attempt to motivate their employees via the ‘carrot & stick’ approach otherwise more accurately described as ‘carrot = bribery with money’ and ‘stick = fear of punishment or the sack’.

** Beware limiting myths such as: change takes a long time or people don’t like change or change is difficult

Why do I say this?

In a specific situation it may be true that change takes a long time or that the people involved are anti-change or that change is difficult but it is unlikely that these things are true in all situations.

The 3 statements used above are all negative self fulfilling prophecies and if used as un-challenge-able generalisations will act as limiters to what becomes possible and what will be achieved by a new culture.

They are often used as a cop-out to explain away why the new OD project didn’t achieve its potential and / or as an accountability-avoidance tactic.

I much prefer the alternative of asking, ‘how do we achieve our new culture in a week?’ (as we did with Lubrizol); ‘how do we include employees in co-creating the new culture so they welcome the changes? (as we did in Liverpool)’ and ‘how do we create a new culture that is easy and beneficial for people?’ (as we did in Warner Lambert-Pfizer Ireland).

*** TRUST THE PROCESS! ***

Why do I say this?

Because the process will synergise all of the other 13 tools listed above and it will facilitate CAS in generating exceptional creativity and intrinsic motivation so that:

the new culture inspires us to realise our wings of potential and soar beyond the stars to transform impossibles into realities.

If you have lived your own version of my Success and Disappointment Paradox, you may agree that learning from it is the best outcome. One of my key learnings was to ‘Trust the Process’.

The next best outcome is synergy derived from the ‘collective brain’ of others’ similar and different experiences. To this end I would greatly value hearing about your key learnings.

I look forward to hearing from you (see below). I will be happy to share other learnings with you.

And if you are 'mulling' about culture change, mentoring and / or OD (Organisation Development) I will be happy to share some of my 30+ years experience with you in a free, no obligation, no selling conversation to discuss your situation and ideas and options. 

I have 30+ years experience in the 3 areas above.

Call me on my direct landline: +441484607369 (I am in the UK) or                                                              email me: mds.dennis@btinternet.com or

complete the Contact Help Form below.  I will get back to you quickly.