Dryland

Ruth Elsässer • August 9, 2023

Many people feel as if they have been dehydrated, and toxic circumstances in the workplace can be a major contributor.
Reading time: 5 minutes

This morning I had contact with two lovely people, both very committed to their professions, positive, open, and willing to learn about new topics. Unfortunately - both have reached points that are challenging for them. One person will leave after six months because she can no longer tolerate the negative company culture and constant criticism. The other, in addition to challenging working conditions, is still stuck in an intercultural dilemma and is struggling with anxiety at work. She will take a career break for the time being. 

The opposite on management level - a superior who wants to climb the next rung on the career ladder and therefore only focuses on achieving the numbers and treats people as if they were an annoying evil. In many respects, his behavior is incomprehensible to the employees. They constantly feel upbraided and inwardly distancing themselves or quitting directly.

These are three situations that are representative of so many people affected. In my opinion, people are symbolically dried out by the totality of things that affect them! 

What is happening right now?
There is no simple answer to this! Such desert times are always a sum of influencing factors in different areas of life. There's me, my family, my friends, my job - in a very simplified way. 

In this blog post, I would like to zoom in more closely on the area of work. If we assume that we spend about 1/3 of our lifetime working, it is worth taking a closer look at the framework conditions in this area. 

Permanent change is the keyword of the time, which means as much as we have to face new challenges constantly. Or, to put it another way, we must reinvent ourselves in a world of globalization, digitalization, artificial intelligence, recession, and skills shortages - to name just a few factors - and deal with unpredictable crises. 

From the point of view of what we still have in our hands and what is uncertain, the environmental factors just listed are the latter. 
Logically, the question arises, how do we best navigate our way through this so called BANI world? And what strategies will help us?

BANI (brittle, anxious, non-linear, incomprehensible) describes how we deal with chaotic and unpredictable circumstances. The term was coined by Jamais Cascio in 2020, influenced by the pandemic and global climate change. 

The health and fruitfulness of an organization plays an essential role here and can be the game changer at the end of the day. In this blog post, when I talk about healthy and fruitful organizations, I base it on cultural factors like:


1. Strong employee orientation.
Sometimes it feels like the importance of employees is forgotten. They are the "brain" of the company and determine the extent to which an organization is positioned for the future. "Make or Break!"

At the same time, employee orientation is not Rocket Science, as many think, and therefore do not venture into the topic. Let's just take Maslow's (1943) pyramid of needs as a guide, which gives us an idea of what is significant to people. 

  • There are basic needs such as food and sleep, which are certainly crucial for people to work and earn money. 
  • Then comes the need for security, which we as an organization can address with reliability, a clear structure, and transparency. Good communication and expressions of trust also convey a sense of security. 
  • We attach great importance to the need to belong. That is all about relationships and their quality. Belonging to a team or project group, in which each individual feels meaningful and seen pays off.
  • The need for recognition and appreciation is also deeply rooted in us. A lively culture of appreciation and feedback is like a balm for our souls. However, it must be genuine; people sense when recognition and praise are used as a manipulative tool. 
  • Self-actualization describes the motive to exploit individual potential, which can make a difference for organizations in the future. However, to reach the point where people are fulfilling their potential, the other levels of need must be taken into account. 

Critically reflect on your current work situation: at which level of the pyramid of needs are you and why? Or if you run a company, what level is your organization or individual teams on?

If we compare this model with the situations described at the beginning, it becomes clear that the basic needs are covered (I am not going into sleep here). If we take another look at the safety needs, all of those affected are insecure and frustrated to the highest degree.

This is emblematic of many companies that pay no attention to the intermediate stages and think they have a right to demand the full potential of their employees by paying their salaries. In this context, I speak of "weak" corporate cultures, which can promote toxic working conditions. 

"Potential development is the normal process, but we humans are capable of blocking it." Gerald Hüther, Neurobiologist


2. Growth mindset
The constantly changing environment requires that we are capable of learning and willing to face new challenges. That requires certain mindsets:

"In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work - brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishments." 
Carol Dewck, 2015

What attitudes can we develop with a Growth Mindset:
- I walk through the world with my eyes open and learning
- I have unique talents that I am allowed to develop 
- I may make mistakes and reflect to do better next time
- I may confidently put aside all the limitations that people have spoken over me and develop myself
- I can make the world a little better every day 
- I can't control all the circumstances of my life, but I can control how I respond to them

People with a Growth Mindset have answered the question of the purpose of life. They see themselves as part of the solution to future problems and issues and want to change the world for the better. 

Science has long been concerned with the significance of "purpose" on quality of life and health in the context of meaningful research. In general, it has been found that, interestingly, only a few people ask themselves questions about a meaningful life. However, research shows the necessity of a meaningful life: people who reflect on themselves what is important to them and what they want to achieve show higher life satisfaction and are less prone to depression and anxiety. 

To establish a culture of a growth mindset, trusting and secure framework conditions are needed that support precisely these ways of thinking. And also a good error culture, which I would like to discuss in more detail below. 


3. Good error culture
"Failure is not an option, it is a necessity! If you do not make any failures, you are playing to save." 
Craig Groeschel, 2023

This sentence comes from an American who seems to deal with failures differently than we do. This is also shown by famous examples like Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford. Across the Atlantic, it seems to be more acceptable to talk about mistakes and learn from them. We are talking about the well-known "Lessons Learned"! Quite different in Germany, which, based on a 2018 ranking, lands on second-to-last place in terms of error culture. It's best to overlook mistakes and not make them an issue in the first place - politics shows us how. Or, if possible, avoid mistakes in the first place.

Given the many unpredictable influencing factors, however, we need an error culture as part of the corporate culture. Because without mistakes, there is no learning. And without learning, there is no progress! 

Positive effects of a good error culture:
- Agility and speed
- Innovativeness
- Transparency
- Trust
- Learning

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast". A famous Peter Drucker quote shows the strong influence of culture, good or bad, depending on where the focus is. 
Culture must become alive and tangible. That includes an error culture formulated as part of the corporate culture and filled with life from the upper management. Managers implement this by admitting mistakes and showing employees how to deal with them and what they learn. If, up to now, the focus has tended to be on perfection to avoid mistakes, a mindset change is needed. Innovation requires mistakes and must be addressed and implemented at various levels and channels. 

Is a culture change even possible?
I can answer this question with a YES. Organizational culture can always change. However, this requires commitment from the top. Also, a culture change requires a mindset change. For that neuronal connections have to be initiated. For these to become stronger and old neural mindsets to be weakened, at least 60 days of constant repetition are needed. Therefore, the communication strategy and training should last for several months. You will certainly not achieve the desired change with one-time and short-term actions! 

From dryland to fruitfulness
With a stronger focus on employees, a leader who conveys security and appreciation, a shared culture of learning and growth at all levels, and the opportunity to take bold steps, admit mistakes, and learn from them, the parched corporate soil becomes fertile again. Give it a try!

"People who feel seen and valued will be more willing to walk with you through times of crisis."
Ruth Elsässer
Du bist für dein Glück selbst verantwortlich, du entscheidest was äußere Reize in dir auslösen.
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