Over the last few days, I have again learned the importance of listening with attention, especially as regards organizational functioning. This is true for any organization, whether a business, a nonprofit, a church, or a family.
To see an organization that functions very successfully, check out this video. (There is no sound track.)
These natural organizations function so effectively and adapt so rapidly because the members follow rules that allow them to do so as they attend to each other’s signals.
In the natural world, there are flocks of birds, swarms of bees, herds of cattle, and schools of fish that follow rules that are simple and effective. Some of these rules include “head the same direction” (alignment), “stick close together but not too close,” and “avoid predators.” These rules allow them to respond remarkably well to changes in their environment while still achieving amazing results like migrations, appearing larger than they are, and finding safety in numbers.
Among groups of people in modern life, we unfortunately create rules that are rigid and presume the worst. If like a detective you were to take the time to uncover the source of a rule, you would frequently find a story of someone who “ruined it for everyone,” displacing trust with a rule. Eventually we amass too many rules for too many situations. For instance, instead of offering basic orientation to “eat lunch in the picnic area,” we list rules for all of the places not to eat lunch.
Rules for working with people, to promote organizational functioning, are necessary nonetheless, but we need to take cues from our friends in the animal kingdom and instead make our rules simple and effective. I propose these, drawn from “The Art of Hosting Meaningful Conversations.”
- Speak with intention
- Listen with attention
- Tend to the well-being of the group
How would our group interactions change if we spoke only what was the truth of our hearts and listened to others with respect and attention? How would our group interactions change if we tended to the wellbeing of the group instead of just ourselves?
This can mean a significant shift in culture. To me, it seems worthwhile.
