What makes organizations work?

Have you ever wondered… what makes organizations work?

I think about this question all the time. Sometimes I think about it after I have talked to someone who I believe to be a lot smarter than me on this subject, or while I am reading a good book, chapter, or blog. Sometimes I think about this question after getting frustrated with organizations of which I am a member – because it is all too easy for me to see what is not working.

Organizations are made up of people with a common purpose. If you are like me, you are part of many organizations – schools, community groups, places of employment, social networks, professional societies…the list can continue indefinitately.  You can join, work, play, and stay in organizations, and you can leave them. What makes someone want to stay in one? What makes them want to leave? These are questions that guide my life’s work and passion.

I confess to not being an expert in this subject matter. If anything, I consider myself to be a student of organizations. As a student, I read and talk to a lot of people who help inform my worldview and my work practice. I also consider myself someone who can harvest the wisdom of others – who can ask good questions and attempt to see the world through the eyes of those more experienced than me. These are the skills I intend to use to write this blog: my ability to reflect, make sense of, and interpret the wisdom of others who teach all of us how to help organizations be successful.

In the interest of full disclosure, I admit to being one of millions of “consultants” who make a living by trying to help organizations not only survive but thrive. However, the purpose of this blog is not to sell readers on something or to convince readers to hire my firm. Instead, I am hoping to use this forum as a place to reflect on what I am learning and who I am learning it from. And perhaps, with some luck, my educational journey will yield some wisdom that others can apply in their organizations.