Processing Tensions

Another good post Brian. The point this raises for me is that I frequently hear a call that "we just need people to take more responsibility for their choices and actions". But what this post points out, is that even the most responsible person is limited by the "forums" available to them in the organization they are part of.

If someone wants to take action and make change, but there is no one to listen, then even the most responsible individual will eventually choose apathy, burnout, or leave the organization. Wouldn't these be the only sane choices?  To continue to try to be "responsible" for an unresponsive system, over and over, would be pure insanity.

Unfortunately, that is often exactly what is asked of people in individual evaluations and reviews  today.

>To continue to try to be "responsible" for an unresponsive system, over and over, would be pure insanity

My favorite Einstein quote: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Brian, i think that sensing and then processing the tensions is the major driver for dynamic steering and holacracy: let 's face reality, follow the tension, it will guide your organization towards a higher purpose not decided by human ego but pushed hard by evolutionary impulse.

So many companies don't process tensions: consequence is demotivation, tiredness, disengagement, burn-out, apathy, lack of initiative, fear, etc. . Which only means that organization is not facing reality.

The issue there is NOT a PEOPLE ISSUE: it is a GOVERNANCE ISSUE, it is about changing HABITS, letting LIFE FLOWS. Dynamic Steering by sensing and processing the tensions is the issue in respect to life: a new living entity, the organization, wants to emerge, grow & develop like a tree . Facing reality is consciously letting and supporting this growing tree on his own path without any project (projection) for it.

And the good news, as a CONSEQUENCE - but NOT as an Objective - is that the people will feel better ... So It is not a question of people care, it is a governance issue & this indirectly will be the best way of taking care of people.

Philadelphia, Bernard Marie Chiquet

This assumes the people at the top are willing to give up their top-down strategies, power, policy-making, et al. What kind of response would you most likely get from Steve Jobs and Apple about this, who by the way runs one of the most profitable companies in the world? Their response would most likely be: if it ain't broke don't fix it. And they're not going to throw Jobs under the bus to prove a point.

My consulting experience is: you have to do an incredibly thorough and meticulous job of needs to services matching, to determine if an organization has a "goodness of fit" with various "under consideration" paradigm changes. If there's a poor match, you gracefully walk away with a clear understanding from both parties that this is best for all concerned. Then graciously open the door for other ways of approaching the uniqueness of the organization with strategies that will work better, all the while not being afraid to give your companions and even your competitors the business - as long as it better serves the client/company. The mantra is: goodness of fit. Once this is in place, then onward with gusto! :-)

I think I understand why processing tensions is vital and even why it works, but How does one actually 'process tensions'? 

It's a great question for which there isn't one single answer. It really depends on what is the specific tension and what will help you address it. We have a document that is currently not on the website, but which spells out the primary channels in Holacracy to process tensions based on the change you need, it can be found temporarily here.

The short version is thus:

• If you need someone to do something, you can simply ask them, or go to a tactical meeting.
• If you need to modify the way we work together, you can propose a change in governance meeting.
• If you need a change in the prioritization of projects and overall strategic direction taken by the team, you can address it in a strategy meeting.
• If you need something to be changed at a higher level than your team, you can ask the Rep Link of your circle/team to bring your issue at the broader circle.