[Dialogue] Save the Internet

[Wayne Nelson]

I think a lot of what is happening in companies is a reflection of the
spirit state of the world at the moment.  There seems to be more of an
apocalyptic feel around than I have ever encountered.  There's a feeling of
desperation. People want what they want; they want it now and they seem to
be quite willing to go after it at any cost, because it is clear that it is
about to slip away from our grasp. We're afraid that if we don't get what we
want now that the opportunity will be gone.

It's kind of panicky. Consensus is more costly than platinum and harder to
create than a space shuttle. The gathering of the conservatives and liberals
into more or less armed camps. The frantic publication and distribution of
articles that range from annoying whine to doomsday alerts. Corporate execs
who raid their own fridges in the night. Etc. Etc and also Etc.

"Ya had your chance and lost it here" is a line from one of Harry Manx's
blues tunes. It's a feeling that is very present and it is a manifestation
of despair. It is kind of the "long march" (weariness etc.) intensified.

Garrison Keillor said "The antidote to cynicism is curiosity."  John's
comment on business ethics is, I hope, on target.  It would be very
interesting to develop a facilitative approach to creating ethical
guidelines for themselves that are in synch with the larger purpose and the
idea of creating value as a primary objective. I haven't seen people asking
for that sort of thing or doing it on any great scale, but there are
organizations trying to address it - the ones on the edge.

Edgar Schein uses 3 levels in talking about organizational culture.  From
the bottom up - - and you have to travel in that direction conceptually -
Assumptions - - Values - - Artifacts. Foundational understandings about
ourselves, the world and our relationship to the big "whatever" give rise to
values which show up in real life as practices, policies, protocols,
structures, systems etc.

Wayne





< >  < >  < >  < >  < > < >  < >  < >
Wayne Nelson - ICA Associates Inc.
655 Queen Street East ­ Toronto, Ontario M4M 1G4
416-691-2316 - http://ica-associates.ca - wnelson at ica-associates.ca