Forest-centred view of organizations

Throughout my career as a consultant, HR professional and now coach and facilitator - I noticed how the metaphors associated with organizations are machine-centered. Organizations have been likened to ships, machines, political systems and eventually psychic prisons, instruments of domination, etc.

According to systems theory, the metaphor of organizations as organisms highlights the complex relationship between an organization and its surrounding environment. Cells, organs, and even entire living creatures are all parts of living, “open systems”, characterized by a continuous cycle of input, internal transformation, output, and feedback.

If we build on this metaphor, we can see organizations as being like a Forest … a complex, rich, exchange of energy, motives and a system where there is zero energy wastage and every micro-system flourishes.

One of the main things to consider in any system - is what is the source of energy? In a Forest, it is typically sunlight and a spring/ river.?

As organizations think about their talent, their organization structure and so on - I wonder if leaders think about Who/ What is a source of energy in their organization?

More than a decade ago, Cameron and Spreitzer, elaborated on the concept of Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS). POS is an umbrella concept used to emphasize what elevates and what is inspiring to individuals and organizations by defining the possibilities for positive movement rather than just improving on that which is broken or challenging. POS focuses attention on the generative capacity and dynamics in organizations that lead to the development of emotional capital, human strength, foster resiliency in employees, enable healing and restoration, and cultivate extraordinary individual and organizational performance.

While POS does not ignore dysfunctional or typical patterns of behavior, it is most interested in the motivations and effects associated with remarkably positive phenomena—how they are facilitated, why they work, how they can be identified, and how organizations can capitalize on them.

So a question, I often have for leaders is instead of obsessing over fixing what's broken, I wonder what answers they may find if they choose to look at - "What is working in my team/ organization?", "What causes regeneration and healing in my team?", "What/ who is a source of energy in my team?"... and then amplify it.

This will not make the problems disappear or take away the need for leaders to pay attention to them - but it will create energy to fix them.

As for me, I have been more and more obsessed with our disappearing forests and the inexplicable apathy of those who claim to be able to lead … I am choosing to look at what makes our forests and rivers thrive ... choosing to live in hope.