Staying focused is probably one of the most challenging and most important leadership capacities in these times of rapid change and call for innovation. How easy it is to get caught up in “doing” and in problem-solving, following the rabbit down the hole, leaving behind the relationship of our action to outcomes.
Being mindful is absolutely essential to our success in achieving strategic goals and overall mission, and it is central to leading and facilitating collaboration in communities and organizations. It is important enough that the concept of the ‘mindful organization’ has emerged. Tom Heuerman and Diana Olsen define mindfulness as paying attention to what is (inside and outside of ourselves) and then reflecting non-judgmentally on what is and why it is so. They define organizational mindfulness as the connecting and sharing of the mindfulness of people, in a forum such as dialogue, to create new meaning and knowledge that will help people and organizations achieve greater congruence between their intentions and outcomes.
Organizations committed to learning have improved their capacity for reflection-on-action, but mindfulness is calling for reflection-in-action. It calls us to collectively focus on a number of things even as we act:
- our collective intentions–our strategic outcomes and vision
- the ways we are working together
- the way work is being done
The result of mindfulness is greater alignment of actions with outcomes. It’s like polishing the stone, creating a smooth, frictionless surface, making it easier for us to be successful.
In their research into mindful organizations, Weick and Sutcliffe found that organizations where error and disaster can lead to catastrophe have a unique structure which leads them to think and act differently from other organizations. They use mindful organizing for the unexpected as well as the expected.
Not all organizations have the potential for catastrophe in the event of failure, however, the substance of the elements that Weick and Sutcliffe identified may be broadened in ways that offer key elements for intentionally designing the mindful organization:
1. Anticipation
- Attention and sensitivity to early warning signs and key measures relevant to strategic outcomes
- Commitment to inquire instead of simplify interpretations
- Sensitivity to and awareness about operations, taking into consideration the dynamic and nonlinear nature of Sociotechnical Systems and their relationship to strategic outcomes.
2. Commitment to resilience:
- The capacity to function even in the face of adversity
- The capacity to return to service and excellence following adverse events
- The capacity to learn and grow from whatever happens
3. Deference to Expertise:
- Include “lower ranking” members of the organization
- Place greater emphasis on collaboration, focus on an assembly of knowledge, experience, learning, and intuition.
The good news is organizations can intentionally design for mindfulness. In mindful organizations the stress of having to be the all-knowing leader or manager, of having to make all the decisions and have the answers, is alleviated as organizational members realize that mindfulness and collaboration moves them more rapidly towards their vision and delivers more effectively and efficiently on strategic objectives.
