Sharing...like we were taught in kindergarten

Organization-Centric vs Network Centric
difficult coordination vs easy coordination
closed and proprietary knowledge vs open and transparent

My client really exhibits a combination of traits from both sides. I must admit, while trying to maintain an open and neutral stance, it is more difficult to weigh out the network centric characteristics. However, the truth is that there are inklings of it showing through. My client is a well established entity, who like many other institutions, have only changed in ways which affected their customers, rather than their employees or learners. Any change was primarily meant to benefit their customers, because after all, if it were not for the customers the institution itself would not exist.

Over time what has occurred is that as new people are hired, they customarily bring with them, not their negative habits, but their positive ones. They brought with them ideas and processes which worked at their last place of employment. Quite naturally, when they mentioned these ideas and processes, they were met with blank stares or the 'deer in the headlights' look. Followed by the, 'No, we've never heard of that before...'. Followed by the list of reasons why 'we never do it that way'.

My client was top heavy with decision makers and bottom heavy with employees who were waiting to be spoonfed rationales, processes and other reasons for why a job was being done a particular way. Unfortunately, this also caused there to be fear of blame for errors, mixed with a large dose of, 'I did what I was told'. There will always a certain portion of this in any organization I believe. What is equally unfortunate though, is that even if the employee knew what they were being told was incorrect, they would still do as they were told. There was reluctance to share what was known by them with management, because of how they felt management viewed them. Management on the other hand was not particularly willing to hear and/or implement was the employee shared, because the suggestion or observation was viewed as the employee trying to get out of working. Interesting how things translate, huh?

With the hiring of both new management and support staff, has been new inklings of knowledge, willingness to try new concepts and procedures and exploration of ideas. The staff is starting to share more amongst each other. Management is becoming a listening ear instead of a shut-off brain.

And I say again...I see network centric organization on the horizon, ever so faintly : )