Business Lessons from the Edge of the Known World

Last December I had a remarkable experience; I was invited to present research at a unique conference held every year by the New Mexico State University college of Business (NMSU). The conference, known as the Quantum Storytelling Conference, is hosted by Dr’s Grace Ann Rosile and David Boje. While its primarily a conference on storytelling in organizations, it carries a dual theme of examining Indigenous ways of knowing (IWOK) and western ways of knowing (WWOK) in business. The conference reminded me of a series of conferences from the mid 1980’s held at the Santa Fe institute in which scientists from diverse disciplines gathered to discuss common questions and challenges. The result was the birth of complexity science in business. Complex adaptive systems and organizational complexity, are constructs taken from other disciplines which are just now being seriously applied in business to understand explain and improve our diverse, fast-paced, continually changing world. Like those game changing meetings in Santa Fe, the quantum storytelling conference is also attended by people with diverse backgrounds. Scientists, engineers, anthropologists, sociologists, biologists, linguists, artists, musicians, authors, poets, educators, strategists, environmentalists and business professionals; gather to discuss subjects such as sustainable business strategies, integration, corporate social responsibility (CSR), communication, humanity, and ecology. The conference is also international, hosting people from several regions in Europe, and the Middle East and attended by indigenous peoples not only of the Americas, (South, Central, and North to include Canada), but also New Zealand, and Australia. 

The research I presented was based on my recent book The Rise of the Ambidextrous Organization, a book about how today’s most innovative organizations have found a different, intuitive, and sustainable way of doing business. One based on the natural cycles and rhythms of life and which enlist the concepts of complexity, physics, biology, and human dynamics. To make a relevant contribution I compared my research with the NMSU tribal wisdom for business curriculum and how they complimented or contrasted with one other.

I was nervous going in. For one thing I wasn’t sure if my research complimented IWOK at all. Secondly, I wasn’t sure if it would have anything new to say. Would people make a connection and make sense of my work, or would it be viewed as another superficial business idea and gimmick?

What I came away with however was exciting and encouraging. It was the realization that organizational ambidexterity was a kind of “business bridge”, connecting a newer progressive western way of thinking (ambidexterity), with ancient Indigenous business practices. Spanning a gap that has allowed ignorance and indifference to marginalize and ignore Indigenous business practices and culture for centuries. A culture which holds valuable lessons for national and global sustainability, building more meaningful and fulfilling workplaces, and living your best purposeful life. Perhaps most exciting was discovering that some of the biggest impediments WWOK currently struggle with and often get wrong IWOK does intuitively and effortlessly. Modern day organizations and businesses need to be exposed to these lessons now more than ever. As Einstein said we can’t solve the problems of tomorrow using the solutions of today, we need new approaches. While ancient Indigenous practices may not be new, they certainly have never been considered in business. What follows are eight aspects of tribal wisdom taken from the NMSU Quantum Storytelling conference. This, along with other stories from my trip, make up the latest chapter in this journey of discovery to help architect a better world for everyone to live and work in, please join me.

Tribal Wisdom for Business

Relationships, vs transactions- The first aspect of tribal wisdom is the idea of building relationships above and beyond (and before) the transaction of business. Your initial knee jerk reaction might be “wait a minute we don’t always have time to get to know one another”, but I would beg to differ. Relationship building can happen in an instant, in a moment, and incrementally, it builds. Its established and set when we approach one another with a desire to be helpful, when we are open, observant, attentive, and respectful. This is not suggesting you build a relationship for the sole purpose of transacting with them in order to negotiate more shrewdly or outwit your opponent. To the contrary, it’s suggesting that you make the relationship the “thing” you value and want instead of the other thing you want. Put this first and put the idea out of your head (at least momentarily) that there is something else you want from this encounter. Ultimately, conversation and activity will turn to the business at hand. If possible, let them initiate the reason you’re there, or, at the very least wait until you feel as though their needs are met and they’re ready to talk about business. By putting the individual first, attending to their needs; desire for attention, or to be heard and establishing respect and trust, you clear a path for work to be done. Full attention can be focused on working together toward an outcome.

Gifting instead of getting- in indigenous culture, there is higher value placed on giving than getting. Indigenous members who consistently give in their communities are held in higher status and in turn these individuals enjoy more social wealth. This contrasts with western thinking which celebrates the amassing individual wealth and even hoarding. It wasn’t long ago (1987) in the movie Wall Street that Actor Michael Douglass spoke the words which for some has been a battle cry for over three decades, “greed is good!”

Egalitarianism and hierarchy – in Grace Ann Rosile’s book Tribal Wisdom for Business (depicted above) the author says in the Euro-Western system business is often viewed as warfare being described in war, battle, and sports metaphors with language describing the proving of ones superiority to another and competitiveness. We language reality into existence, while there may be good justification to behave competitively with other companies when vying for market share, serious problems can arise when the focus is turned inward. Furthermore, when considering external competitors, it may be wise to reflect on your world view, perspective, and personal philosophy when considering war or warlike language. Do we live in a world of abundance or scarcity? Do we need to always destroy and eliminate our competitors or is it smarter to sometimes collaborate with and help them? Egalitarianism also means the belief in the equality of all people, particularly in political, social, and economic ways. In many indigenous cultures’ members are shamed by their communities should they espouse or consider themselves to be “better” than others, hierarchy of status is discouraged. In innovative companies like ambidextrous organizations both vertical (hierarchical), and horizontal (organic) structures are established because the janitor sweeping the shop floor could come up with the companies next million-dollar idea, their thoughts and passion are as valued as their mop bucket. 

Non-acquisitiveness – is the lack of interest in the permanent acquisition of things. Its interesting to me how some people value relationships and experiences more than the collecting of things while others will spend a lifetime acquiring “stuff.” Furthermore, these same people who horde often “shed” their things downsizing decades of acquisition later in life. Perhaps there is a metaphor here for organizations in this observation of individual life. It’s the notion that we often collect and acquire in the “middle” of life. Call this boon conquest, efficiency or validation; we as individuals seem to follow the same cycle businesses do. Innocence, honesty, and inquisitiveness, followed by performance, shrewdness and acquisitiveness. And ending with validation, attainment, settling down into a life more defined by purpose than property. A personal life is not unlike a business’s life, it’s just a thought perspective of comparative scaling. 

Usefulness – akin to pragmatism, the law of usefulness says if I’m going to own something it will have a regular usefulness and purpose, this cuts down on acquisitiveness. You may have heard your father or grandfather ask, “why do I need that, what would I use it for?” How often do you ask yourself that question?

Barter- there’s something inherently beguiling about money. The power of monetary symbolism on the human brain and psyche is perhaps one of the most pervasive things I’ve ever witnessed, it changes people. In a study conducted several years ago two classrooms were set up with timed tests and a proctor administering the test. In one room there were symbols of money in coins, bills and dollar signs decorating the walls and computer screensavers. In the other room there were pictures of nature on the walls. An actor was hired to rush into the room late just as the test started and spill their books, papers and pencils. In the room adorned with symbols of money no one stopped to help the fallen test taker. In the room with depictions of nature most of the room either stopped to help or stopped to monitor the injured person. For this reason, downplay money and keep it minimized in conversations and transactions for as long as possible.

Trust- I tell friends that I value three things in leaders: transparency, predictability, and fairness. Why, because together these things foster and convey trust. I used to have a boss who, while being painfully challenged in the great leader department did have one redeeming trait that kept him in the good boss category. He always parked in the same spot next to a FedEx mailbox in the parking lot below my office, he was predictable. It gave me a sense of comfort to know his patterns and this in turn lowered my anxiety allowing me to direct focused energy on the work at hand. Trust among indigenous people in business is a given, it’s the norm, the default. In IWOK you don’t have to remind yourself to trust or strive to be trusted, and you don’t have to be suspicious or weary. It may bewilder and confuse an Indigenous person if they were to encounter distrust, an untrustworthy person, or be cheated. They would likely not recognize what was happening, does this make them na?ve or lacking? As a member of western business, I occasionally come under the judgment of colleagues with opinions such as “too nice”, “too trusting” “naive”, or “inexperienced.” When this happens, are we really amateurs in over our heads, or are these accusatory words compensating for low character in a corrupt environment?

Disclosure- akin to trust there is disclosure and traditional Indigenous people who barter or sell will tell you up front everything that’s wrong with what they want to give you, and they trust they will receive the same in return.

Storytelling

At the heart of this discussion is storytelling. As old as mankind, storytelling introduces art and substance to life and work and enriches human experience. Though we seldom think of it in the context of work, we frequently hear stories with limited purpose and messages. Cautionary tales, stories of prowess, excellence or deception, and stories of struggle and strife. Generally, stories at work are not purposeful unless it’s to get attention. They are not intended to teach or mentor, they’re simply an often spontaneous and random means of venting, conveying experience, or entertaining. But it’s not this way for indigenous people, stories are revered, purposeful, thoughtful, and deliberate. And to David Boje and his wife Grace Ann storytelling is a powerful and transformative tool that’s making a much-needed comeback to western society.

A different way of thinking

Stories not only offer a different way of thinking about things they also empower allowing us to take ownership of them. We compare, contrast, complete, and add to a story told resulting with it ultimately becoming part of us. Kaylynn Sullivan, one of the contributors to Tribal Wisdom for Business Ethics, instantly spun my perspective on its heels when she suggested that “while we are breathing, the trees are also breathing us”, stories have this kind of transformative power. 

Achieving 3BL balance through storytelling

To call Dr David Boje a tireless advocate for corporate ecology and responsible stewardship of this giant spaceship we are on would be an understatement, he’s also a master storyteller, and more. Professor emeritus at New Mexico State University, Bill Daniels Ethics Fellow, and past endowed Bank of America professor of management in Las Cruces. He has published over 120 journal articles and seventeen books on business ethics, corporate responsibility, ecology, and storytelling. Inventor of the term Ante-narrative, David says it’s the idea there is always an earlier story, an origin story, which feeds into storytelling in an iterative process. David also introduced the world to a triadic theory of storytelling, an idea that the components, origins, and experiences which make up a story are a vital part of it. Perhaps even more important than the final refined and polished glossy brochure we may ultimately be shown.    

What is the 3BL? Also known as the triple bottom line it’s a form of corporate social responsibility and stands for Profit, People, and Planet. It’s the idea that these 3 elements should be managed with processes, formulas, and procedures which would allow a company to responsibly balance and achieve them all. Its sounds wonderful, but is it possible? David says to date he only knows of one company (in Denmark) which operates a true working 3BL with formulas, and metrics to back it up. Most companies, David says, participate in some form of “greenwash.” The ecological whitewashing and glossing-over of status quo practices and putting profit above people and the environment, they have no true working strategies for sustainability. Jens Larson of Old Friends Industries in Denmark says his country has the most ambitious climate law in the world and there are several Danish companies which arguably come close to achieving David’s definition of the triple bottom line. Among them; Orsted Wind Energy, Novo Nordisk Pharma, Maersk Shipping, and Danfoss. 

As well as being an iconoclast David is also an equal opportunity disrupter. He’s as comfortable holding up a mirror to his own university and challenging them to live the triple bottom line as he is in taking on a multinational corporation. Whether he’s teaching barefoot to protest the abuse of sweatshops or sporting a suit and tie David’s focus, and quest is balance and sustainability.

           As we discussed earlier the cool thing about storytelling is that it allows personal ownership and organizational growth starting from the individual level. A story told, especially one which incorporates quantum elements like Indigenous storytelling does, is a multiplier producing a potential for payout much higher than any checklist or procedure could hope for. Such documents are valuable tools and while having their place in critical fields and procedures like aviation and medicine, can also be sorely de-limiting and even detrimental. When not accompanied with storytelling and other relational interaction they allow no room for interpretation, ownership, or connection. On their own they can rob individuals of independent thought, initiative and ultimately motivation. The underlying message in a checklist only atmosphere is clear. You’re less inclined to think, and more encouraged to do as you're told. In some organizations people are hired for their hands and not their hearts or their minds, most of us would gladly give all three if only asked. 

Making wisdom chic, and climbing the Knowledge ladder

What did I contribute to the conference? I’m still running that through my head. But there was one contribution which caught the attention and feedback from Dr. Don Pepion , tribal elder of the Blackfeet tribe and NMSU professor teaching indigenous ways of knowing (IWOK) and quantum science for business. It was a diagram I called the knowledge scale.

If we consider the act of “knowing” we can visualize an ascending line from left to right consisting of “data”, “information”, “knowledge”, and finally “wisdom”. Today, we are awash with data and when put together it makes information. We use this information strung together to arrive at knowledge and when we use knowledge in efficient, comprehensive, strategic, and altruistic ways we can derive wisdom. What I found when comparing indigenous ways of knowing (IWOK) to western ways (WWOK) was that Indigenous people arrived at wisdom more often and quicker than their western counterparts. Why? I don’t know definitively yet, however I think it may have to do with the practice of storytelling, the use of ritual and ceremony, the emphasis on relationships, the healthy caution toward symbols (money) and acquisitiveness, and the intuitive connection with the natural world.

Discovering Meta Reality

This is George Mendoza, George is an artist I met while in Las Cruces at the conference and he sees the world in a unique way. Different from the way in which you and I look at the world, George is blind. Much in the same way it’s now thought Van Gogh saw the world, in hues of yellow halos and swirls around objects, George also sees an impaired distortion of reality. The rare form of blindness George has causes him to see the world as swirls of bright colors and undefined shapes, George calls this ability his “Kaleidoscope eyes”. 

In Last month’s article I discussed a meta reality beyond our everyday world. A truer reality above the one we live in with all that has defined us and all we have accumulated stripped away. Layers collected over decades of experiences; opinions, circumstances and actions define, bound, and border who we have become. The true meta reality of “us” is the original clear spring we originate from vs the muddy, overgrown delta we ultimately are after years of living. If we could strip away the vegetation, wash away the dirt, filter out the sediment and toxins and remove the distractions, we would see more clearly what we are at our core from that original stream. George has achieved this to a degree, not by choice but by chance. Without the often-overwhelming distraction of sight I would venture to say George understands more about himself than we do of ourselves. He understands behavior through sound and inflection, smell, touch, the feelings of the elements on his skin, and of course his amazing colorful sight. 

Like all of us, George also lives a second, cognitive reality inside his head. However, while our inner world is most often subordinate to the outer world we are continually bombarded with through vision, I imagine in Georges world the order may be flipped. From Georges perspective the outside reality he lives is secondary and the inside world of his thoughts and mind is primary.  In some ways this renders him with the distinct advantage of a closer picture of meta reality. Motivational coach Bob Proctor once said we have it all wrong, “we let the outside world control the inside when it should be the other way around.”  George also has an indomitable spirit; did I mention he won the Paralympics twice for long distance running in track and field in the 1980’s? He finished 4th in the 1500 meter in Holland in 1980 and 4th again in 1984 in the 1500 meter in New York. He also set the World record for fastest blind runner with a 4:28 mile and the national record for the ? mile at 2:10. George began long distance running as a teenager often 100 miles a week to burn off energy and frustration, as you might imagine any teenager to have surplus amounts of both.

Devoid of the distraction of conventional sight has perhaps brought George closer to his meta reality than you or I. What’s the connection with George and this article besides the fact that I met him at the conference? Perhaps its Georges story of expression and life fulfillment, his spirit, or perhaps it’s his unique way of knowing and seeing the world. In his lifetime Van Gogh sold one painting, George has already blown that record out of the water. If you’d like to pick up one of Georges creations you can contact him here [email protected]. I know you will hit it off like old friends as I did and leave feeling inspired.

Things you can do

What are the takeaways of this article? What can you do today, tomorrow, and next week to enrich your life and the lives of others? Here are a few tips.

Look for ancient wisdom in your backyard

In the mid-Atlantic region of North America where I live there were once more than a dozen distinct Indigenous tribes with names such as Shawnee, Lenape, Accokeek, Piscataway and others. Today these tribes are names of streets, towns, and places, but the descendants of these people still exist. Seek out these Indigenous communities and invite them to speak to your organization about business practices, lessons and advice, what would they say to your group if invited to share their wisdom? There are also several high-tech native defense companies operating in my city with names such as Bowhead, and Chugach. The only reason I know these companies are native owned is because I once lived in Alaska and know them as familiar native names and places. Research local Indigenous people, affiliations, and groups in your community and invite them to give a talk. Ask for business related stories, advice and presentations, and overlay this with your own company culture, tenants and beliefs. Are there comparisons? differences? You may learn something about yourself you didn’t know before. One of my native friends DJ Vanas does this professionally in great TED and You-Tube talks around the world. No matter where you live, NY State, Virginia, Maryland, or Florida, hidden wisdom is there waiting to be discovered.

Seek sustainability and put people first

Sustainability, social accountability, the triple bottom line, and ethical and moral practices are on most people’s minds today and humanity is spending a lot of energy trying to figure out how to get these things right. Larry Merculief, Aleut native and public speaker says there’s an “inside society” or reverse society spoken of among natives in the North, and it’s a troubling phenomenon. Merculief says, “The heart used to tell the mind what to do and now the mind tells the heart.” He notes one result of this reversal is that it’s pushing the life support systems of our planet to the brink. Larry says in order to turn this troubling trend around we need to get out of our heads. We live in a society which believes intelligence comes only from logic and the brain. If we are to get off this self-destructive path we also need to think intuitively. 

In the book What Matters Now, Gary Hammel says “without ethics we have nothing, humans make mistakes”. Capitalism is an ideology that brings extraordinary privileges notes Hammel but if capitalism isn’t based on and led by moral principles everyone loses. He goes on to say we should “Kill burrecratic structures.” While I’m personally in favor of shaking up and testing structures which become too rigid, both structural and cultural, I wouldn’t destroy vertical hierarchical chains all together. In Organizational ambidexterity theory both types of structures (vertical and horizontal) are present and necessary and the trick is to know when and how to shift from one to the other. An unfortunate sign of rigidity is often seen when innovative companies that originally challenged the status quo, once successful begin to defend it. Some final advice from Gary to stay innovative and avoid rigor-mortis? Encourage innovation and wild ideas in the workplace, don’t think to build but instead build to think, and constantly challenge the status quo. Not by looking for big disruptive innovations but instead by looking for small innovative changes in the unspoken needs and desires of others. Finally, keep in mind that recognition and accomplishment are also currencies, not just money and extrinsic reward. Be empathetic, don’t treat others as you would want to be treated but instead as they want to be treated.

Incorporate aspects of tribal wisdom to help you make sense of the world

In the book Sensemaking, Christian Madsbjerg says there’s thick data and thin data, what makes data thick? He says it’s less about objective knowledge, (one particular type of knowledge) than it is about the context of coalesced data. To get a better sense of this, we need to consider the nature of knowledge. Madsbjerg explains there are four types of knowledge. First, there is objective knowledge, this is the basis for science and objective knowledge is universally true. Secondly, there’s subjective knowledge, this is knowledge based on personal opinions and feelings. Thirdly, there is shared knowledge, public and cultural, it’s shared human experience. Last, there’s sensory knowledge, often thought of as your “sixth sense”, this knowledge is intuitive. Sensemaking, Madsbjerg explains, defined as its name implies, entails synthesizing all four types of knowledge without prioritizing any one of them over the others. That exercise only comes after immersion in a context by the experiencers. 

Thanks for sticking with me to the end of this unexpectedly long article, there’s still more I want to say and others I want to introduce you to, perhaps next time. If you want to know what’s coming next in the world, what the next paradigm shift will be and what is needed to not only survive but also thrive in it, you have to go out to the limits of the existing paradigm and courageously peer over the edge. The business lessons I learned at the edge of my known world are beyond appraisable. What David, Grace Ann, Don, Jens, George, Larry and the others, and the concept of organizational ambidexterity are fighting for is the achievement and realization of true sustainability and balance both in business and in life, for humanity, the planet, and all its inhabitants.

Dr. Zabiegalski is available to talk to your organization or venue about this groundbreaking research or speak informatively and eloquently about organizational culture, leadership, strategy, learning, complexity, neuroscience in business, creativity, mindfulness, talent management, personal success, emotional intelligence, and Action Learning. Contact Eric about a talk or workshop today.