Insights for the Journey

What ways can help you discern the organization's purpose? And who gets to participate?

Many work places today have a purpose that is destructive, wholly or in part. Are you willing to face this reality for your organization?

Purpose is too often understood as some sort of slogan that can be helpful for marketing purposes or as a way to motivate employees.And yet It's the simple realization that the organizations wants to manifest something in the world and that by listening to the purpose, things can unfold with surprising ease and grace.

What passes for "purpose" today in organizations is almost always a fig leaf.The true purpose for almost every work place I know is maximization (of profits, market share, ...) and self-preservation.Listening to a deeper purpose is a radical departure from the world we know.

"Evolutionary purpose" is not about having a clear purpose statement.It is a much more profound shift in perspective. It asks us to truly see the organization as a living entity with its own energy and sense of direction. And it invites us, therefore, to stop trying to predict and control the future, but instead continuously listen and respond to the organization's purpose.

Not everyone will feel comfortable with the invitation to show up more fully.There might be valuable information hidden in their resistance to your invitation. Could it be that your invitation is more than an invitation? Or that your invitation is disconnected from the work in the organization?

Ground rules are values made practical. A number of organizations choose to put these guidelines in writing. And then embed them in all the daily practices at work.

You can accelerate the movement by inviting the whole organization to reflect on wholeness and how to have more of it. What could such a conversation look like?

People sometimes wonder: what is a good setting to start introducing wholeness in the organization?The truth is any meeting or gathering can do, but here are some concrete ideas for where you might start.

How do you bring meetings to a deeper place? Won't it feel strange at first? A few thoughts for how to bring more wholeness to group spaces.