“Things will be very different when this is under control,” seems to be a stock phrase of late and it might be worth thinking about what might happen to make things work differently. Can we begin to describe a set of principles that might inform how and why we relate to each other across a range of political, economic and social contexts? What can we learn from existing ideas on how people operate, why change is necessary and the direction it should take?
We should consider the space occupied by bureaucracies in enabling the fair delivery of resources whilst supporting organisations. This is open to scrutiny driven by the necessity not to measure the efficiency of bureaucracies against a series of metrics but to consider their effectiveness in ensuring that the Ethical Purpose of the organisation is maintained and grown throughout a range of agreed contexts, values and behaviours
Context “I Wouldn’t Have Started From Here”
Given that “here” might be
defined as being held in the teeth of a global pandemic that has placed huge
and possibly devastating demands on economies, has re-awakened medieval
uncertainties and has exposed the limitations of our collective capacity to
respond to the challenges; it seems fair to ask “Who would?”
Significant social and economic shifts have led us from collectivism and
co-operation towards isolation and individualism: yet it is at this very point
that we are witnessing the architects of rapacious national and international
individualism bereft of any answers that seem to make sense to those most
afflicted by the pandemic. What we may be seeing is the emergence of a
different kind of Leadership, one that places the relationship between
Leadership and Service at the heart of it Values, Ethics and Behaviours:
Servant Leadership.
To Consider
Conversations about our current
challenges have exposed the structural weaknesses that have unwittingly acted
as an incubator for the pandemic. The weaknesses seem related to the
unwillingness of power to recognise and listen to advice and suggestions that
contradict its current narrative. There is a need for power to be redefined as a
process that takes place within and between people. This requires a “Because I
said so!” culture to begin a journey towards one where decisions are taken and
enacted “Because we agree and I commit.”
If this were to happen, bureaucracies will be required to adjust so that their purpose shifts towards processes and behaviours aligned to the ethical purpose of the organisation and the relationships into which it enters. They will need to become more agile. To clarify, agility is not seen here as “speed”; it is instead viewed as “robust flexibility”-the capacity to accommodate by stretching boundaries and in doing so create new opportunities for learning, growth and discovering different types of ethical influence outside of the existing structures.
Readiness
No one would have chosen to be where we now are. The gaps in yesterday’s certainties and
assumptions have been brutally exposed there will be changes and it may well be
that the powerful groups whose behaviour has helped deliver us here will seek
to tighten their grip on power in the post Covid world. There is however a
sense that the structures that got us into this situation are, unless they
change, unlikely to get us out of it. I state with a note of caution, that I
cannot recount one example of powerful groups giving away their power because
everyone thought it a good idea. It was taken from them. I’m not for a second proposing a forceful
overthrow: I am suggesting a build-up of ethical pressure on politicians, the
financial sector and ultimately legislators to enable us to turn a corner and
do things differently.
What Can Aid Our Thought to Action Journey?
How well placed are we to listen to what is said and not said?
I believe that we can find some guidance in helping us to formulate questions and challenges that serve the purpose of developing Servant Leadership and in so doing, consider the change journey required to develop Ethical Bureaucracies that give active support to development, engagement and delivery. Our questions:
- How do we acknowledge and demonstrate that we have listened and heard?
- How do we reach and communicate our decisions
- What do we enact or defer?
- How do we assume the good intentions of others and not reject them as people when at the same time rejecting their performance or behaviour?
- How do we communicate to others that our purpose is enabled by a search for ethical wholeness?
- How do we remain aware to the power of the possible?
- How do we use ethical persuasion rather than rules-based authority?
- How do all members of our organisations (formal and informal) contribute to “Dreaming Great Dreams”
- How do we do this and maintain our day to day focus on our present purpose?
- What lessons do we learn from the past?
- How do we assimilate and describe the current reality?
- What are the consequences of today’s decision for future generations?
- How do we evidence and learn from our commitment to the growth of people?
- To what degree do we accept that we are stewards of our organisation and that they have a purpose beyond the day to day?
- How do we ensure that our organisations, our ethics, values and behaviours contribute to the greater good of society?
Recycled with minor edits January 2021
All Art work by Beth Dooner. https://www.instagram.com/bethdooner/
