"IF ENERGY IS NEITHER CREATED NOR DESTROYED", HOW CAN WE DIRECT IT TOWARDS IMPROVING ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS?

 


Original article published in Catalan on 03/28/2023

Albert Einstein said that if we seek different results, we cannot always do the same thing.
In organizational dynamics, whether individual or collective, we sometimes notice ways of acting, working, or relating that are not ideal, that are not good, and we do nothing about it—we don't take action.
We can view this inaction with a critical eye, "complaining" about the person, people, or even ourselves for not doing anything. However, I prefer to see it from a curious and understanding perspective, trying to understand why this happens.

This shift in perspective is what I propose to do, tying it to Albert Einstein's quote, to achieve different results that contribute to improving organizational dynamics.

Before continuing, I want to contextualize the field of knowledge from which I share the reflections that I will present below. As I mentioned in the last article I published: "Collective Knowledge: From Reflection to Action," citing J. Gairin, knowledge is like the "backpack" that we accumulate with our perceptions, educational experiences, and life experiences; we gather concepts, ideas, feelings, frustrations, points of view, etc. Thus, the following reflections come mainly from experiences, ideas, shared conversations, and also from some readings.

Often, the feeling I have is that the person or team embedded in dynamics that are not the most suitable, feel them to be "so big" that they find them unmanageable. This feeling of "so big" often arises because these dynamics have been entrenched for a long time, where assumptions about what people think of each other operate, and these often remain at the level of assumptions.
In the face of dynamics that would be interesting to change, because what they contribute is not positive, I try to pay attention to what the right moment might be and what could serve as the "excuse" to bring about change. It’s like seeking that small crack through which a shift in inertia from old dynamics could be generated.

Starting from the premise that "essentially any emotion constitutes an impulse that moves us towards action" (Goleman, 1995), I realize that sometimes, negative emotions or feelings, such as anger or frustration that we feel at a given moment, could be that crack, that catalyst.
These can be what enable us to address things directly and share with others what we believe is not working as it should.

It would be like transforming the energy we feel into a transformative energy for entrenched dynamics. But how do we do this?

Below, I propose some ideas that, from my point of view, could help:

  • Don’t keep that emotion or feeling to yourself, nor share it only with those who are aligned with us, who will agree with us, or who will directly fuel it.
  • Try to understand the reason behind the negative feeling we are experiencing until we reach the real cause. It’s likely that it feels like an "attack" on one of our deepest values: values that drive us to do what we do, that connect us with our life or professional purpose.
  • Share it directly with those who need to be involved in finding the solution: whether because they have responsibility in that area of the organization or because they are directly part of that situation.
  • Share it "doing it right." To do this, some aspects worth paying attention to will be:
    • Finding the right place, a space that feels "safe," calm...
    • Having the right amount of time: there are conversations that cannot be left incomplete.
    • The possibility of having a facilitator for this conversation.
  • At the same time, it will be interesting to focus on trying to reach commitments among those participating in the conversation. Commitments with the intention of transforming entrenched situations that do not contribute to a good organizational dynamic and do not make us feel good when we experience them.
  • Probably, it will be through awareness of emotions and feelings, transforming their energy into conscious conversations, that we will plant the seed to begin changing entrenched organizational dynamics that no longer contribute, towards new, more sincere, cohesive, and aligned dynamics with the goals and purposes of both individuals and teams, and ultimately, the entire organization.
  • So, if "energy is neither created nor destroyed," could we direct the energy of our emotions towards improving organizational dynamics?

Written inspired by conversations with Lluís Marco, from Hobest.

GOLEMAN, Daniel. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. Editorial Kairós.


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