Organizing in the 21st century

Towards a new paradigm

Two existing paradigms

The organization as machine The organization as family

The organization as living system

The organization as living system

Living systems have the innate capacity to sense changes in their environment and to adapt from within

Source: Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organisations (2014)

3 principles:

• Self-management• Wholeness• Evolutionairy purpose

Source: Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organisations (2014)

Self-management

• No hierarchy/control, or consensus but…

• Everyone has the level of power necessary for their job

• Clear structures• Capacity building for conflict

resolving and decision-making

• No functions but roles• Transparancy

Source: Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organisations (2014)

Wholeness

• In many organizations people are ‘surviving’, but...

• Take your professional masks off

• Show your whole self with all your human traits

• The workplace respects the human scale

• Wholeness and diversity: masculine and feminine, reason and intuition

Source: Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organisations (2014)

Evolutionairy purpose

• The organization is not a holding or a collection of people, but...

• The organization has its own evolutionary purpose

• Listen to what it wants to become

• Follow the natural development

Source: Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organisations (2014)

Which basic assumptions do we have?• Workers are lazy. If they are not

watched, they will not work diligently.• Workers work primarily for money.• Workers are not capable of making good

decisions about important matters that affect the economic performance of the company. Bosses are good at making these decisions.

• Workers put their own interest ahead of what is best for the organization. They are selfish.

• Workers need care and protection, just as children need the care of their parents.

• Workers need to be told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Bosses need to hold them accountable.

• Managers are out there to control workers.

• Managers are motivated by promotion and bonuses.

• Managers don’t know what’s happening in the organisation.

• Managers work primarily for money.• Managers are egoistic and selfish.• Managers only look at the short

term.• Managers need to have all

information in order to make good decisions.

Source: Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organisations (2014)

Which assumption do you have yourself?

• Fear, control, scarcityOr• Abundance, trust

How to make the next step?

“There are not problems waiting to be solved but potential waiting to be unfolded” *

“Letting go the illusion of control”

“There is no path to get there”

“It will be painful”“Who am I serving right now?”

“Work with people who are ready for it”

*Source: Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organisations (2014)

Contact me for more information or start a conversationE-mail: m.sturm@salineadvies.nlPhone: +31 6 22614208

A few people can build a bridge that can be walked on by many