William Charlton: Innerpreneur Spotlight
Concerned about the direction the world is going. We are relying on models of behaviour that are no longer fit for our actual situation. The paternalistic, top-down, command and control, growth centric, use and throw away, win or lose, ways of behaving are creating more problems that they are solving. Inequalities of all sorts are growing and big changes are needed or our future does not look pretty. My aim is to help organisations adapt to the changing eco(nomic)system and to survive and prosper.
Finding different ways of operating that harness the better (compassionate, empathetic, fairer and more long-sighted) side of our natures and which result in healthier, sustainable (in the wider sense) outcomes.
Which can be summed up as “Helping organisations build honest, fruitful relationships.”
See the, often questionable, logic behind the dominant methodologies and find ways to do things that better fit the way we humans actually are and the realities of today’s world. By first identifying an organisation’s true purpose and then finding the most efficient ways of achieving that purpose – in a way that sustains both the organisation and the “stakeholder’s” interests. This all sounds very New-Age but without a clear purpose an organisation is truly not coherent.
Stakeholders include anyone affected by the organisation and its work, but the most important are those most impacted by what the organisation does and the way it does it – this is very often the employees – and then working on out, to the other groups that are affected or involved, including the less obvious ones.
Getting people to see beyond the “Conventional Wisdom” and to believe that change is possible, it can be very positive and can also be great fun.
Providing examples of different ways to think, organise and move forward.
I do a lot, and I mean a lot, of research, which is a hugely important aspect of understanding the wider picture. Sometimes I have to dig quite deeply to find reasons and causes, but they are there.
I have lots of ideas about:
Why we do things the way we do. The historical and cultural norms which we might think are immutable are, in the main, quite recent inventions.
Most people can see the problems, but they expect someone else – or technology – to solve them, and then we can carry on as before. I don’t believe we can afford to remain ignorant any longer, we must educate ourselves and adapt.
I have a model, which I call the Three Pillars of Wisdom. These are (to me) the three main aspects where we need to change. The first is the way we operate, especially but not exclusively, at work and our preparation for work (education): We have to change the methods and relationship models to meet peoples’ real needs. There are some excellent methodologies out there (Teal, Holacracy, Beyond Engagement and so on). Second is the economy: The cyclical boom and bust, growth-based model has failed and we urgently need to replace it with something like a Steady-State Model. And lastly: The way we produce and consume has a limited useful life expectancy, which, as we deplete our resources, is nearing its end. The only viable answer is some form of Circular Economy or Cradle-to-Cradle model.
There are of course many other issues in the world but these are the most tractable. Many of the other points of failure will, I believe, start to work or at least improve if we can sort these three areas out.
I’m also a big believer in collaboration, even if it sometimes seems like herding cats – the clue there is to not even consider herding as a methodology.
Nothing is quite what it seems and I too can be fooled into thinking that the old ways are best. However, I can also be fooled into thinking that all the old ways are wrong too. Stay alert, question everything – including oneself – seek the underlying, logical explanations and know that just because a problem is big, doesn’t mean it cannot be addressed.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
I have also learnt a simple truth; that many problems are much clearer when examined under that spotlight called honesty and the most profound insights come at the oddest times.
A favourite quote of mine:
Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist” – The economist, Kenneth Boulding
Please accept my resignation. I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member” – Groucho Mark
If you would you like to be considered for an upcoming “Innerpreneur Spotlight”, please feel free to contact me.
Other articles that might tickle your fancy:
Shabnam Karimi: August 2013 Innerpreneur Spotlight
Innerpreneur Spotlight: Michael Chadd
Jennifer Chan: October 2011 Innerpreneur Spotlight
from Rise of the Innerpreneur
riseoftheinnerpreneur.com
