Is it possible to get too focused on accomplishing objectives?  Isn't "making progress" what it's all about in most organizations?

Yeah, except...every organization is composed of people, and you can't eliminate the human element if you expect to be successful.  We're all flawed, but every one of us wants to be respected and accepted.  We want to feel that we are important and that we make a difference.

Successful organizations got that way through (and won't remain so without) healthy relationships.  I hope you find ways to use this week's article, “Is Personal Achievement Replacing Healthy Relationships?”  Feel free to forward the article to someone who deserves your compliment, or to someone who could spend some time evaluating proper balance.

Dennis

Sometimes it's appropriate to stand back from the details of everyday life and consider "the bigger picture."

Because you live within your organization's culture every day, you're usually not very sensitive to how the culture compares to what it might be if it were different.

I've worked in both compliant cultures and commitment cultures.  Whew!  There are people who need the external discipline of a compliant culture, but it was pretty stifling for me.  Discipline is necessary in a commitment culture, too, but it's an energizing discipline, not an oppressive discipline.  People recognize the value of repeating processes that reliably deliver a known and valuable outcome.  Improvements to the process are made intentionally, but only when the effect they will have on results is known in advance.

I hope that “Your Organization’s Culture--Compliance or Commitment?” is enlightening for you.

Dennis