The Key “We” Elements of Evolutionary Business
Understanding what supports us to work well together is a valuable aspect of building and sustaining a company.
Businesses are essentially networks of people; open systems of inputs and outputs that rely on commitments made and kept to succeed. Optimizing these networks allows for engagement, fulfillment and overall organizational effectiveness. Unlike technical systems, human systems are built via relational pathways and communications, experienced through individual relationships, team dynamics, and organizational culture--what we call the We dimension.
Experiences like trust and emotional resonance fire our social neurons and make us feel connected to others and create deeper levels of understanding. Yet, it’s hard to sustain. Despite advanced degrees and years of work experience, people remain emotional and subjective creatures. And, as a result, breakdowns occur even in the healthiest of cultures, thereby negatively impacting the organization as a whole.
Many companies that have created evolutionary products and services, like Tom’s Shoes and Etsy, have reportedly also had toxic cultures. Receiving a B Corp certification does not mean a company’s culture is healthy and workers feel safe and supported. In fact, the “nice” green meme prevalent in many companies like these is often coupled with it’s shadow side: what Wilber calls the “mean green meme.”
Evolutionary Businesses can only sustainably succeed if they emphasize the We dimension equally as the I and It. While the importance of We elements like trust and culture may be obvious to most leaders, creating a healthy, thriving ecosystem for workers and the other stakeholders is quite challenging, especially in a dynamic, high-growth company.
As such, we all need to work on the We, day in and day out. We cannot take it for granted just because we are courteous to one another and even genuinely care about each other. Human dynamics is far more complex and, like with individual development, takes sustained effort, especially in the ever-changing environment of business.
Given this, here are some of the topics we plan to cover in the We category with their working titles and a short description of each:
“Business is a Form of Community”
The dynamics of a vibrant, balanced, and healthy community are models for how to promote a vibrant, balanced, and healthy organizational culture.
“Building Trustworthy Relationships”
Evolutionary Business leaders foster and sustain relationships of trust and collaboration.
“Conflict Creates a Tension Leading to Progress”
Evolutionary Businesses understand how to support conscious and healthy conflict as a means for learning, growth, and innovation.
“Embracing Your Communal Dark Side”
Any business culture has its dark side, including tribalism, groupthink, and mob behavior. Understanding how the prevailing culture can impede the evolution of your business is critical.
“Organizational Purpose and Culture”
Every organization has a definable soul, or essence, that can be discovered and built into processes and mechanisms to help it scale without losing its soul.
“Supporting Powerful Collaboration”
Evolutionary Businesses are built on the premise of powerful collaboration: ways of working that support maximal engagement and effectiveness. The unit at the heart of this effort is the self-organized team.
“DEI - a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplace”
Evolutionary Businesses understand that the old model of meritocracy is on the way out. They seek to create diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments, and to champion this mission in the world at large.
Written By: Geoff Graber & Matt Auron
