It's NOT the Economy Stupid!
How could it be that in a country with over 15,000 professional economists, as quoted in the October 31st New York Times, barely a handful foretold the credit meltdown? James K. Galbraith, son of the famous John Kenneth Gailbraith, attributes it to the fact that most professional economists are academicians and theorists.
Everyone keeps saying, “It’s the economy, stupid!” I beg to differ. The economic meltdown is symptomatic of a larger spiral of events happening on this planet. It's part of the necessary deconstruction of multiple systems that were created in the 19th century to fit what was needed at that time, and that no longer serve what is needed in the 21st century. Systems such as healthcare, education, government, transportation, etc., need to be—in the words of building contractors—gutted and remodeled, or in the words of Nature—composted and grown anew.
How do we consultants work with our clients to navigate through these chaotic times?
Since the dot.com era, I have been asking leaders, "How are you leading in this fast-changing global environment?”
Going cross country has been an underlying metaphor in conversations with executives, leaders and the public since dot-bomb days. Unlike those who hike well-marked trails and are lost without them, leaders who can trek cross country are able to inspire others to accompany them as they navigate uncharted territory. They have an inner compass, acute powers of observation, are able to engage their own and others’ deepest creative and critical thinking skills, are courageous risk-takers, and inspire others to give their best during challenging times.
By helping them visually map their systems and resources, and explore how changes in values, mental models, resources, processes, technologies, and actions can affect their organizations, we can coach them tap into their powers of Observation (the Observer), natural curiosity (the Explorer), creativity (Imaginer) critical thinking (the Discerner), and natural builder (the Innovator)
In January this year I found myself at the same table with Bob Johansen. We were invited participants at a Future Search Conference, which in itself was stimulating, engaging and amazing. Meeting Bob was another one of the "Touchpoints" in my life and career. Bob is the former president of the Institute for the Future. and now a Distinguished Fellow there. A social scientist with a keen interest in gaming, he has worked for more than 30 years as a forecaster, exploring the human side of new technologies. He gave me a copy of his book, Get There Early.
In it he writes and speaks about the VUCA world--a world filled with volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. As someone who studied ecology, biology and psychology, I'm curious about change in individuals and organizations. At the table, Bob spoke about the necessity for leaders to engage with painful dilemmas to move ahead of the pack.
I felt I had met a kindred spirit and could not wait to read his book and meet up with him again.
The week that Congress was confronting the $700B bailout, I was fortunate to lunch with Bob and fellow thoughtleaders. The first thing he said to me was, "Hi Barbara, how are you feeling about the current situation?"
My response was, "I'm excited because finally the systems are breaking down. For 30 years I've been seeing the need for us to evolve all systems—government, economic, educational, healthcare, financial, etc—because they no longer serve what is needed for a future we haven't yet experienced. I'm enjoying the conversations with clients about "composting" unhelpful mindsets, processes and strategies, to co-create a healthier future through their businesses." He chuckled, because we both know that many people, including leaders, are very anxious these days.
We've been living in a world where "growth, growth, growth," was a benchmark for business success. The ecologist in me says, growth is not the answer. There are limits within every system, beyond which it cannot grow. In a future blog, I'll share some thoughts about how looking to Nature can help us help our clients.
Meanwhile, I hope you'll read Get There Early and join me in a conversation here about navigating the VUCA world.
Everyone keeps saying, “It’s the economy, stupid!” I beg to differ. The economic meltdown is symptomatic of a larger spiral of events happening on this planet. It's part of the necessary deconstruction of multiple systems that were created in the 19th century to fit what was needed at that time, and that no longer serve what is needed in the 21st century. Systems such as healthcare, education, government, transportation, etc., need to be—in the words of building contractors—gutted and remodeled, or in the words of Nature—composted and grown anew.
How do we consultants work with our clients to navigate through these chaotic times?
Since the dot.com era, I have been asking leaders, "How are you leading in this fast-changing global environment?”
Going cross country has been an underlying metaphor in conversations with executives, leaders and the public since dot-bomb days. Unlike those who hike well-marked trails and are lost without them, leaders who can trek cross country are able to inspire others to accompany them as they navigate uncharted territory. They have an inner compass, acute powers of observation, are able to engage their own and others’ deepest creative and critical thinking skills, are courageous risk-takers, and inspire others to give their best during challenging times.
By helping them visually map their systems and resources, and explore how changes in values, mental models, resources, processes, technologies, and actions can affect their organizations, we can coach them tap into their powers of Observation (the Observer), natural curiosity (the Explorer), creativity (Imaginer) critical thinking (the Discerner), and natural builder (the Innovator)
In January this year I found myself at the same table with Bob Johansen. We were invited participants at a Future Search Conference, which in itself was stimulating, engaging and amazing. Meeting Bob was another one of the "Touchpoints" in my life and career. Bob is the former president of the Institute for the Future. and now a Distinguished Fellow there. A social scientist with a keen interest in gaming, he has worked for more than 30 years as a forecaster, exploring the human side of new technologies. He gave me a copy of his book, Get There Early.
In it he writes and speaks about the VUCA world--a world filled with volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. As someone who studied ecology, biology and psychology, I'm curious about change in individuals and organizations. At the table, Bob spoke about the necessity for leaders to engage with painful dilemmas to move ahead of the pack.
I felt I had met a kindred spirit and could not wait to read his book and meet up with him again.
The week that Congress was confronting the $700B bailout, I was fortunate to lunch with Bob and fellow thoughtleaders. The first thing he said to me was, "Hi Barbara, how are you feeling about the current situation?"
My response was, "I'm excited because finally the systems are breaking down. For 30 years I've been seeing the need for us to evolve all systems—government, economic, educational, healthcare, financial, etc—because they no longer serve what is needed for a future we haven't yet experienced. I'm enjoying the conversations with clients about "composting" unhelpful mindsets, processes and strategies, to co-create a healthier future through their businesses." He chuckled, because we both know that many people, including leaders, are very anxious these days.
We've been living in a world where "growth, growth, growth," was a benchmark for business success. The ecologist in me says, growth is not the answer. There are limits within every system, beyond which it cannot grow. In a future blog, I'll share some thoughts about how looking to Nature can help us help our clients.
Meanwhile, I hope you'll read Get There Early and join me in a conversation here about navigating the VUCA world.
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