Comments on: The Stepford Organization

By: 5 Blogs Every MBA Student Should Be Reading

5 Blogs Every MBA Student Should Be Reading — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:09:37 +0000

[...] Courage to Participate in Transformation as a Leader The Stepford Organization My Advice to New MBA [...]

By: Bret L. Simmons

Bret L. Simmons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:17:49 +0000

Eric, appreciate your thoughts! I think I we are on the same page. I posted something on Netflix recently, and they actually *expect* people to say something when they think the company is doing something against its values. But I would bet you they also live the rhetoric, which is essential. Thanks!! Bret

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:43:19 +0000

Who says that negativity isn’t positive?
It reminds me of the admonishment “be a team player” – which so often means “don’t push back, raise difficult questions, or voice your alternative views – just keep quiet and comply.”

By setting “positivity” against “negativity” doesn’t actually eliminate negativity. It erodes satisfaction and commitment. When push back, tough questions, and alternative views have no place in the official “positive” conversations – they go offline, underground, and live on in the informal complaint network.

When, authentic dissent can’t be voiced directly – the complaint network buzzes with activity. The tradgedy is that all the energy and ideas that could have been contributed to the organization are burned up and dissipated in the form of complaints.

Complaints contain a tremendous amount of energy. And it’s wasted when leaders insist on characterizing dissenting voices as “negative.”

Authentic dissent and heart felt complaints have their source in core values. At the red-hot center of every complaint is one or more core values. The core values are what give complaints energy.

As Robert Kegan, has said, “You wouldn’t complain about anything, if you didn’t care about something.”

The challenge for the one with the “complaint” is to connect with and articulate the care and commitment that gives life to the “negativity.” The challenge for the one receiving the compliant is to tune into, and listen past the surface drama, to discern the underlying values, care, and passion that fuel the “negativity.”

Neither is easy. But, insisting on being positive makes both almost impossible.

By: Bret L. Simmons

Bret L. Simmons — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:59:08 +0000

I really appreciate what you have to say, Mary Jo. The note from your experience confirms the message here. But I do think leaders must realize that they control the level of pressure and fear in their organizations. This is one of the most important things they need increased self-awareness about. Thanks once again, Mary Jo!!

By: Mary Jo Asmus

Mary Jo Asmus — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:59:38 +0000

Hi Bret,

An interesting personal note on this is that I often find that leaders think that employees are being honest with them when they have the conversations about commitment and satisfaction. I’ve even had execs tell me that they have no doubt that their employees are extremely satisfied when I’ve heard the opposite from the employees.

Positivity’s dark side is that when a leader expresses this as an important value, employees can feel as if they have to “fake it” and the leader is then left clueless. It seems that as long as the leader is responsible for figuratively signing the paychecks, no matter how wonderful he or she is, there is always going to be some degree of deception going on. I wish it weren’t so.