Apparently I talk in metaphors. It’s something I have learnt about myself recently. Whenever I want to get a point across I think about it in a way that is parallel to what I am saying, something that requires the listener to use their imagination and draws them into a picture that I am trying to paint. I’m not sure it always works for my audience, all analogies eventually break down at some point under fire but that’s the way I am and so I guess I’ll have to persevere and try harder to bring the listener with me.
I’ve been thinking a lot about structures at work and the way we split ourselves up and arrange our work in silos. I’ve been wondering whether this helps us to achieve our objectives or if in fact they get in the way. I know that structures and social groups are a very human thing but my conclusion is that management structures lead to poor performance rather than improvements.
I was sketching out my thoughts the other day and was asked by one manager what structure would I like to have? I have referred to this in a couple of my blogs now but this time I’m going to use the analogy of a tree. They have a great structures don’t they? They have roots that hold them firmly in the ground and give them the nutrients they need. They have a strong trunk that holds everything up and bends with the wind. They have branches that reach up to the sun and which give them their recognisable shape and they have leaves which capture the energy and transform it into the food they need.
Can you see a tree in your mind’s eye, a mighty oak perhaps, a giant redwood, a horse chestnut or the distinctive bark of a silver birch? A tree is a great metaphor for working together, how each of us has our different roles and about the opportunity to support each other. The tree isn’t whole, it doesn’t function without all of it parts but it’s also a great metaphor for organisational structure. Indeed we talk about being at the top of the tree, having root and branch enquiries and about having branch offices as if the head office is somehow the trunk of the business.
So I would just like you to ponder on this, which part of the tree makes the decisions?
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 