The Force in organisational life and becoming a Jedi — The Beginning

Definitely not the opening image of Star Wars part III: A New Hope, with the quote below superimposed over it

“Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi

(and if you want to hear that once again in Sir Alec’s voice: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/3/3a/Theforce.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20051024184257 )

The Force in organisations is real. It can shape and control you and your organisation — often towards the dark side — or you can learn to use that power to shape things positively.

I’m not a fan of ‘neat-and-complete’ whole theories of life, the universe, and organisations. But I am looking for the core underlying irreducible realities that we must face. A number of these have the attributes of ‘The Force’ — they surround and suffuse everything human in organisation, and have tendencies that will pull us in particular directions.

There are thirteen I am working with as those core dynamics — here are the first four. Do you have some to add, or some to disagree with?

Next week, I’ll add some of Barry Oshry’s identification of how human response systems will tend to produce dominant/other patterns which create system fragility, and patterns of separation and resentment which destroy partnership. And structural coupling between the organisation and environment, and control, framing, paradigms, politics, self-knowledge, and lust for power!

And in future weeks, hierarchy, human needs, irreducible complexity, constraints all the way down, and the potential for learning.

Please chip in — what do you see as the core irreducible elements of organisational life — The Force that binds the galaxy together?

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business evolutionary www.bentaylor.com all pieces duplicated at www.chosen-path.org

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