"Where do all the old theories go?"
There is a circular argument in which we can become lost. You know you are in that rotating wilderness when someone says something along the lines of ‘well that is your truth’?or ‘there is no such thing as truth only perception’. I understand what people are attempting here – both the noble and the denial. The moment that you deny the existence of one universally agreed state do you arguably deny the existence of the opposite state? If you replaced the word ‘truth’?with ‘fake’?in the previous two statements does the meaning remain the same? ‘well that is your fake’?or ‘there is no such thing as fake only perception’. Life and leadership just got really tricky.
No matter what the grand rhetoric you have already experienced the problem with this, you quickly found a ridiculousness in the proposition. We find it hard to let go of what we see, feel and experience as truth. By securing somethings as truth we can then embark on the work of sense making and influencing others to our view. We have understood and acted. It’s not often we have the ability, opportunity, insight or courage to let go of what we see, feel and experience and label it as fake. Yet with so much to know and so much unknown and with other influences here, there and everywhere you are almost certainly carrying around some fake.
No where is truth lacking more than the study of history – few history lovers getting all shock up right now. We look back through the eyes of today at events long ago that were declared and shared by those in a position to declare and share. That’s not the truth. We might have some facts – the king died on this date, a battle took place here and this country passed a law then – truth erm!!. What we do with those facts is add bits in to create truth, the bad?king died on this date, a heroic battle took place here and this country passed a good?law then. We might even caveat truth with, the truth then, the truth as told by the winners, the truth as they saw it… it’s as if we create and share something as true because of what we know even when the chances are we know very little.
One of my favourite books when I was younger was a diary of an explorer. The explorer recorded events meticulously each day and although he never returned from his adventures his diary did, it was published. I read it and was absorbed by its truth. Later I would learn that at that moment in history diaries were expected to be published and rather than an honest and personal journal of events there was always an awareness of an audience. I also discovered that on its return his family had edited the diary and removed content that was less than favourable to a legacy they were creating. This wasn't the truth but it might still have value.
Are the stories in the organisation shared with an audience in mind and how much editing has taken place - truth !
Are your stories of your leadership shared with an audience in mind and how much editing has taken place - truth !
Where has the organisation created a system in which edited stories intended for an audience are stored? - application forms? recruitment? Don't worry, just like the diary, time will reveal all.
We understand that the human mind focusses more intently on negative events. The explorer in the diary may have been exemplary for the majority of the time and the diary contained a moment of weakness or poor behaviour. If contained within the diary it will be all we focus on and so much more is missed – not the truth. If removed a different incomplete version of the explorer emerges – not the truth.
The ‘Pick of the Week’?(see below) offers some ideas on truth – important to consider such concepts as true, false or pragmatic.
Whatever position you have there is something emerging in terms of leadership development as you spend time and energy convincing people to align with your view of the issue at hand – your truth, team truth or your organisations truth. You are developing your ‘influence muscle’?and so many leadership jobs ask for ‘the ability to influence others’?but do we understand what that means, what it looks likes or the risks that come with it? Your skill and ability to influence people is a competency to be treated with great respect.
This matters in your leadership because much of what you bump into is not a science and may have no truths, many truths or many fakes associated with it. In the world of science the methodology used to get to a shared understanding is through hypothesis and experiment. A theory emerges through test results and a body of people settle on that particular theory being a good place to secure agreement and that moment offers us a truth. Yet science keeps going and often finds a better truth. When I discovered how the diary had been treated on its return I had a better truth.
There are three positions you might like to consider as your leadership continually develops.
‘At this moment in time and to the best of my knowledge’?– as a statement and a mindset you are open to something emerging in the future but are not avoiding the difficult and pragmatic need to act in the present.
‘all models are wrong but some are useful’?(George Box) and ‘a good theory is one that holds together long enough to get you to a better theory’ (Donald Hebb) - these allow us insight and that the creation of models may simplify complex issues but is unlikely to catch all the nuance involved but also that doing nothing may not be an option and so we find the best use for the incomplete models and the evolving theories we have but are prepared to let go of them when something better comes along.
A good truth is one that holds together long enough to get to a better truth…
I wonder if that approach to our truth might be helpful in our organisational life, systems and leadership. What if we could take and sustain a position in our leadership practice in which we were operating with a good theory just long enough for it to be disproven or for a better one to come along. How easy is it to let go of a truth?
What do we do with all the old theories?
What do we do with old truths?
If we consider the history of what we think is right in the world it has become established by rejecting what we used to see as truth. What we now know to be false or wrong was once held by some to be true and right. I am sure you can list many moments but an obvious one is the ‘flat earth’?belief (although not all have let go of that one yet!). We have let go of that theory because a better one came along. In leadership the ‘leaders are born’?theory has been supplanted by better theories.
The world turns and better theories are constantly emerging if effort is applied.
The organisation turns and better leadership is constantly emerging if effort is applied.
Unless history is about to stop any day soon then much of what we think is right may one day be considered wrong, much of what we consider true my one day be considered false.
‘Flat earth’?and ‘leaders are born’?theories are relatively easy to let go of. We let them go and the space they occupied is used for the better theories. Some people are holding onto past truths and old theories while others are creating present truth and new theory. Trying to develop leadership in the technical, tribal, historical, cultural and emotional space of healthcare is fraught with old truths, new theories and the tension of letting go and holding on.?
Where do all the old theories go?
What old theories are we still holding onto that we should let go of?
What old theories did we let go of that we perhaps should have held onto?
Can we hold onto old theories and truths as anchors that help us understand new theories and truths?
What does holding on and letting go mean for us and our leadership?
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That holding on and letting go sees us simply accumulate an ever more burdensome list of stuff – how many leadership theories do we need? How many models? How many behavioural frameworks? How many values statements? Maybe we are not prepared to let go of the past theory because we realise the present theory is temporary and a new one will be part of our future any day soon.
Stay still and let the world revolve around you – it will eventually come back to where you are!
Stay still and let the organisation revolve around you – it will eventually come back to where you are!
What might this tension between truth and fake, holding on and letting go look like…
You know some of those decisions – the ‘no’?to flexible working because it’s ‘not in the best interest of the service’?when other reasons (truths) actually drive that choice. The current tension of what hybrid working is or isn’t, the restructure undertaken for the ‘good of the organisation’?that followed the previous restructure ‘for the good of the organisation’, the secrecy, the misuse of power, the made up process, the nice feeling you allow yourself because you have changed culture with some free pizza, the assumptions we make and the kind hearted sensible stated purpose that portrays our very best but hides the self-absorbed real purpose we are scarred to show.
A sensible way to respond might be – don’t let go of the past to hold onto this version of the present because it won’t be hanging around that long.
Everything is true but truth doesn’t exist – now lead
Nothing is permanent but things must be planned and built – now lead
Information is incomplete but decisions are required – now lead
It’s not about you but they don’t accept it’s about them – now lead
You know less day by day but the expectation is you understand more – now lead
Promises of the past did not come to fruition but please believe the promises of the present – now lead
Life and leadership just got really tricky.
What is true about your leadership?
How do you know?
Is it?
What is fake about their leadership?
How do you know?
Is it?
?
Notice and be Curious
Pick of the Week - Does Truth Exist
Some text & videos asking us to consider truth, philosophy, pragmatism and mathematics
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