UlTImATE SUccESS GUIdEright, conscious of their authority and impose their judgment whilst the
team members must comply or face subtle adverse action. This environ-
ment is toxic. Here, these people do what the boss says needs to be done
- even when the boss asks them to do something they aren’t good at.
So when the projects and business suffers, the people feel undervalued
and have to work twice as hard to repair the situation. They make choic-
es they believe will get them recognition rather than grow the business.
Let’s take another example. There are groups of people standing around
the water cooler, who have ‘free space.’ They might interrupt each other,
form half an idea and then take a break before going back to work. They
feel supported in their roles and duties. These people are not risk takers
or work dodgers. They know that a balanced person gets better results.
They know the difference between socializing and working, and when
both are needed.
Look carefully, there’s spontaneity from that disorder. Good stories are
shared and when people get along, they socialize and sometimes meet
outside of work for a meal. When an environment is considered free and
open, there is a sense of safety that encourages participation and fosters
innovation.
Problems are solved easier when their co-workers, surprisingly, can
help them and they don’t have to make it formal. New relationships
form. Connections are deepened. People feel they are valued and pro-
ductivity increases.
Traditional business people see these as two kinds of groups – one insti-
tutional, the other largely social – as opposites. In their perception, one
group gets things done and the other drinks wine together on weekends.
But consider this, it’s the second group – the informal group – that can
be used for so much more. If an institutional business environment ad-
opted more of the spontaneity that exists around the water cooler, the
right people are more likely to get assigned the work they can do best.
When shoUlD I lIsten?In the majority of businesses, managers are the ones creating groups to
accomplish tasks. Often the groups they create are filled with the wrong
people. The team members aren’t given the opportunity to decide on the