Unlocking Organizational Brilliance: Beyond the Boardroom and into Organizational Health

Yesterday found me holed up in a coffee shop, grinding through some leadership tasks. Between calls and meetings – courtesy of a mad dash after dropping my kids at school – I shared space with a lady wielding two intriguing books. One of them, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," immediately sparked memories. Unable to resist, I struck up a conversation.

We got to talking, and it turns out the hidden gem beneath the familiar Lencioni classic was another work by the same author – "The Advantage." Without hesitation, I snagged a copy, and with its arrival yesterday, I eagerly delved into its contents. The gist? The pivotal role of organizational health in a company's success.

Lencioni divides the landscape into being "smart" and being "healthy." The former encompasses the usual suspects – strategy, marketing, financials, and technology – the quantifiable elements that stakeholders love. Yet, Lencioni asserts that the real game-changer lies in the often-overlooked realm of organizational health.

Picture it: the 'smart' quartet of strategy, marketing, finance, and technology, standing side by side with the subtler, yet indispensable, elements of organizational health – minimal politics, minimal confusion, high morale, high productivity, and low turnover. The latter, overshadowed but paramount, forms the bedrock of a truly thriving organization.

In a poignant tale, Lencioni recounts querying a CEO during a seminar on organizational health. The response? A disheartening admission that competitors perceive it as beneath them.

The book acknowledges the skepticism around conventional approaches to organizational health – workshops, trust falls, and the like. While some may dismiss these as 'hokey,' Lencioni insists there are effective ways to foster a healthy organizational culture.

Personally, I resonate with the idea of building empowered, high-performing teams radiating vitality and vision. However, the reality persists – many leaders shy away, deeming it beneath them. How much time are you dedicating to this critical aspect?

Spotting organizational health isn't a complex puzzle. Look for the signs – minimal politics, minimal confusion, soaring morale, heightened productivity, and a remarkable lack of turnover. These are the markers of a truly healthy organization.

To drive the point home, Lencioni invokes the image of a familiar scene from the 'I Love Lucy' show. Lucy, searching for lost earrings in the living room with better lighting, prompts her husband's incredulous response. Leaders often prefer the well-lit areas, where metrics and analytics abound. But, as I've found, we must also lead in the shadows, addressing the areas of minimal politics, minimal confusion, and maximizing morale and productivity.

Let's not be like Lucy, searching for solutions where it's brighter. Instead, let's navigate the nuanced challenges, investing time and effort where it truly matters. For me, it's about cultivating empowered teams, reducing politics and confusion, and fostering an environment where leaving seems unthinkable.

So, as you ponder your teams and organizational priorities, remember – being 'smart' is crucial, but being 'healthy' is equally vital. Balance your focus, and you'll find that a robust strategy, financial acumen, and cutting-edge technology, coupled with a healthy organizational core, create a winning combination.