Wandering Soul

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Where does the perfect organization exist?

Talented, highly skilled people, who are committed to doing their work well and making a difference.
Leadership that actually knows how to give direction to the organization
Actually, leadership period.
Managers who aren’t insecure about their peers’/subordinates. Managers who actually are efficient in what they do.
Respect for people’s skills, intelligences, and what they bring to the organization.
An open, honest culture that is conducive to growth and learning.
Integrity, ethics and a code of conduct for working.
Awards and rewards given to truly deserving people.
A workplace that is fun
Visibility not equated with how late you are seen in office
Putting in late hours is actually questioned rather than people boasting about it
Things happening as per plan… for a change! Oh sorry, there being a plan that is realistic and logical!
Work-life balance is not just another term used in management books
You spend more time doing actual work than correcting the outcome of others’ inefficiencies

Such a place sounds like the perfect organization. Know a place like this? Sadly, I think the most common response to the question would be “in your dreams!”

Why is it that almost all organizations, be it big or small, suffer from the same problems and same types of issues? And the root of these issues, typically, boils down to leadership, rather the lack of. I’ve worked with one person who was a really good leader, and I have friends who have experienced that perfect leader once in their work lives. But sadly, there was only that one exception to the general rule of bad leaders. What is even sadder is that these exceptions have gotten lost somewhere.

As a result, you might change companies, but the issues never change. The range of the issues might, but typically the intensity doesn’t.
It increasingly feels like that companies are constantly selling out… they do have somewhat of a soul to begin with, but with constant pressure to expand (also labeled as growth), they hire anyone, and I mean just about anyone to do anything and everything. And while there is constant talk of vision, strategy, etc. (well, almost… I recently had a leader tell me that he doesn’t believe in having a vision), things are always unfocussed and haphazard. Really like headless chicken running around.

Is this just me? Are things different out there? Does the perfect organization really exist? Or is it just a mirage in the desert of our own little work-imaginations?

3 Comments:

  • uhhh...beware of using terms like "headless chicken" on public fora...lest you be chased by frustrated, insecure "leaders" and/or political parties for daring to make *such* blasphemous, libellous, and indeed non-vegetarian accusations!

    By Blogger Straight Curves, at August 25, 2007 2:50 PM  

  • Could not agree more with this!!!

    By Blogger Amandeep, at August 26, 2007 12:09 AM  

  • Working in an organization is similar to going out. You'll always have things to crib about and when the frustration peaks, you'll either dump or get dumped. Either way, you'll move on to pastures, which at that moment seem green and then the cycle repeats.

    The key is to have your own agenda in place and align the world per that agenda. It's a bit like creating a customized curriculum...LOL.

    Glad to see you blogging again!

    By Blogger Xintel, at August 29, 2007 10:55 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home